The Jump
by SynthesisSurge
Summary: Helena Potter, the Girl-Who-Lived, finds her life turned upside down, when a spell goes awry and sends her twenty years into the past. Suddenly she is surrounded by people she has long mourned dead, along with people she had never hoped to know. With no way to return to her own time, what should a witch do? Girl!Harry, Smart!Harry, Metamorphmagus!Harry, Girl!Harry/Sirius.
1. A Gift in Disguise

**Disclaimer:** I do not own anything of Harry Potter. Everything is owned by the amazing Joanne Rowling. I have merely taken the liberty of playing with her amazing work.

**The Jump**

**Chapter One:** A Gift In Disguise

~ Helichrysa Dorea Potter ~

Helichrysa 'Helena' Dorea Potter sat reading in the library, her wand twirling slowly in hand as she had a habit of doing. She had an enormous assignment due on time travel for Professor McGonagall for extra credit. Admittedly, it was quite stressful with how many advanced N.E.W.T classes she was already taking, but she quite enjoyed the work. Besides, now that she didn't have worry about insane mass murderers coming after her, she found that even her Seventh Year at Hogwarts, with all the pressures of earning N.E.W.T.'s, was easy. Well, not _easy_, because the subjects were still quite challenging, but now that her focus didn't have to be split between just _surviving_ and school work, she could actually now fully concentrate on the latter. It was safe to say that Helena had found herself with a lot of time on her hands.

She had found a book in the Restricted Section (for once she was actually there with permission) which proved extremely useful. It held plenty of information about her choice of subject, even describing the longwinded process of creating the Time Turners, which had taken a staggering fifty-one years. It was truly fascinating. It explained why the Time Turners couldn't travel more than a day at most back in time: Time flowed in a continuous loop. That meant that everything that a person did while they are using a Time Turner, actually happens in the first place. It also explained why you couldn't change anything you knew happened: Time, with a capital T, would protect itself from imploding, and simply destroy the interfering element.

Helena suddenly smiled brightly, and her hair turned a screaming shade of yellow due to her metamorphmagus abilities. Not giving her hair a second thought, as it wasn't an uncommon occurrence (though, it was more common when she felt extreme emotions), Helena shook her head once, and her locks returned to raven-black with red highlights. The reason for her excitement was that she had found the incantation for a spell that was supposed to allow for small leaps backwards in time, up to an hour or so. It was a stepping stone to creating the complicated enchantment put on the time turner devices. This would be perfect, to put theory in to practice, which would certainly push her essay from an Exceeds Expectations to an Outstanding.

Remembering one of the first laws of time travel, do not encounter your past self, Helena knew she couldn't cast the spell where she was. After all, even if she moved through time, she didn't move through space, and would appear on top of her past self. So grabbing the book, and her beaded bag (Hermione truly was the brightest with of her age, to have come up with it), she walked about a dozen rows down the aisle of the library. That should be good enough: she had sat studying for the past three hours, and no one had been in the Restricted Section for the last two hours. She was only planning on a ten minute leap, but there was a small risk of a longer jump.

Grabbing her trusted wand, she glanced around one last time, before reading the instruction for the spell. With a smile on her lips, Helena flicked her wand in the same intricate patterns as instructed on the yellowed pages in front of her, and murmured the incantation.

As the world got blurry around her, and the pit of her gut began feeling fuzzy, Helena smiled. She had only used a Time Turner once, with Hermione in Third Year, but the sensation she had never forgotten.

It was working.

That was when everything went south. And because she was Helena Potter, when things went south for her, they _really_ went south.

The fuzzy feeling turned into a simmering and agonizing pain, and whereas before her surroundings had been blurry forms of the library, now only streaks of colour could be seen. Helena wanted to cry. She wanted to curl up and lie on the ground. But the spell wouldn't let her: she was frozen in place. The simmering pain spread from the pit of her gut, down to her fingertips and toes, and up to the scalp of her head. And then fireworks exploded behind her eyes, and she felt like she was tugged along at far too great a speed.

Not a second later – or perhaps it was hours later – Helena was slamming into the ground on her back. _Hard_. It knocked the wind out of her completely, and she wouldn't be surprised if she had cracked a few bones. She heard frantic voices around her, but she couldn't make out the words. She hurt so bad. This was worse than the basilisk venom. This was worse than a Cruciatus Curse from Tom Riddle. This was pure hell.

Then everything went black.

~ Helichrysa Dorea Potter ~

Helena groaned loudly at the soreness in her body as she started to awaken. Shifting slightly, she breathed in sharply as her muscles _screamed_ at her to stop. By Merlin's soggy wrinkly bollocks, what in the world had happened to her. It felt like every injury she had ever sustained had been ripped open again. By now her mind could handle a fair deal of pain – it happened when you had been exposed to basilisk venom, dragon fire, and the Cruciatus Curse among other things –, but it didn't mean her body had grown more durable. Despite how the Daily Prophet had described her as the Second Coming of Merlin, Helena was in fact quite mortal (a fact she prided herself in, after Tom's immortality mania).

Oh, she was _not_ looking forward to seeing Hermione. The muggleborn witch would give her an ear lashing. And Helena would deserve it. Seriously, hadn't she learned in Sixth Year that she should _not_ just cast any spells she found in books without taking precautions? The imagine of a half-butchered Draco Malfoy lying on the floor of Moaning Myrtle's lavatory after she had injured him with the Sectumsempra Curse was still seared into her mind.

Slowly Helena opened her eyes, only to shut them close with a hiss at the light. How she truly hated being injured. Of course, no one _liked_ being anything but in top notch shape, but after how many times Helena had been confined to the Hospital Wing, she really, really, _really_ hated being injured. She tried again to open her eyes, slower this time. The light still hurt her eyes, but this time they at least didn't seem intent on making her blind.

Helena began to panic slightly when she didn't recognize where she was. She would've thought that she would've been taken to the Hospital Wing – again –, but the Hospital Wing didn't have beds with red drapes. Nor were the beds of the Hospital Wing anywhere near as soft as the bed she was lying on.

"Ah, you are finally awake, pet," a slightly grating voice spoke up from the foot of the bed. Helena's eyes snapped to the source right away, and then she truly started to panic.

Those were Bellatrix's eyes.

Without hesitation, Helena rolled out of the bed, ignoring the torture she was putting her body through, and took a stance against the woman. Quickly spotting her wand on a bedside table on the other side of the bed, Helena called for it wandlessly, before pointing it at the woman.

Bellatrix's eyes widened in surprise. And then they softened in sympathy. Helena narrowed her eyes: Bellatrix _never_ felt sympathy. That was when Helena took the rest of the woman in, and quickly discovered that it was in fact _not_ Bellatrix.

The woman in front of her surely had some resemblance to Tom's right hand woman. But the woman in front of her was _not_ Bellatrix. She was far too old, wrinkles decorating her face, and her hair strikingly white. And most importantly of all, she was not pointing a wand at Helena.

Helena wasn't in danger.

As soon as the thought registered in her mind, the metamorphmagus crumbled together with pain.

"Oh, dear!" the woman's voice exclaimed, before she hurried over to Helena. "Here, pet, let me help you up." As the woman made contact with her skin, Helena flinched. She hurt so very much. It even brought out a whimper, that she couldn't fight back. "I know, pet, I know. Come on, let's get you back in bed."

"Thank you," Helena panted out. She got back into bed, and under the duvet, though she insisted to be sitting up, and she would _not_ let go of her wand. While she might not be in any immediate danger, she didn't know where she were or who the woman in front of her was.

"Are you alright, young one?" the woman asked, kindness shining from her eyes. Helena looked hesitantly at her. "My name is Dorea Potter, dear. My Jamie and Sirius found you lying on the street a little over a week ago. Do you mind telling just what injured you so gravely ? I haven't seen anything like it since the war with Grindelwald."

Helena's breath hitched and her eyes bugged out. Did she just say her named was _Dorea_ Potter, a name Helena had inherited from her grandmother? And her _Jamie_ and _Sirius_?

"D-did you just say Potter?" Helena managed to stutter. "As in the Pureblood family of Potter?"

The woman's eyes rolled and she waved her hand dismissively. "If one cares about that Pureblood nonsense that a few of the ancient families are spewing, then yes. I am from that Potter family."

Helena stared blankly at Mrs Potter.

"Could you tell me the date, please?" Helena asked fearfully.

"Why, it's the 19th of July, pet," the older witch answered with a soft smile. When Helena kept looking at the woman, expecting her to continue, the elderly witch frowned. "1976."

Helena's eyes widened and she breathed out in shock. 1976. She was in the year 1976. She was twenty-two years into the past, even though it was _impossible_ to travel much more than day into the past. But she _couldn't_ be!

Swishing her wand and casting a nonverbal Calentempa spell, an invention of Hermione's, she watched as the misty writing formed in the air. Ignoring Dorea's gasp, Helena looked in disbelief at the writing.

Monday 15:37, July 19th, 1976.

"It can't be," Helena breathed as the writing faded away. "Calentempa," she cast the spell again, this time verbally. She was sorely disappointed when the result was the same.

She was in the past. She was _twenty-two_ years into the past. She was sitting in a bed with her paternal grandmother looking worried at her. But... it just couldn't _be_. The moment that she tried to travel more than a day back in time, Time should've destroyed her. She shouldn't and couldn't be here. And yet she were.

Helena looked up at her grandmother again.

"Your name is Dorea Potter," she stated more than asked. The elderly woman nodded, only slightly hesitant. "And the boys you mentioned... Jamie as in James Potter who plays Chaser for Gryffindor at Hogwarts? And Sirius as in Sirius Black?"

"Oh, you know my Jamie?" Dorea asked with a bright smile. "He just recently made Quidditch Captain, you know."

Yes, she did know, because it was the summer of 1976, the summer before his Sixth Year. She knew because she had become so pleased when she herself had become Quidditch Captain, and it had made her feel closer to her father.

"Charlus and I were so proud, you know. We knew that he would never become Prefect, not with how many pranks him and his friends go around doing."

Oh Merlin, the Marauders. They were all alive. James hadn't died on All Hallow's Eve 1981 at the hands of Tom Riddle. Sirius hadn't died by at the Department of Mysteries only two years ago. Remus hadn't died only months earlier at the Last Battle, leaving an orphaned son behind. And Pettigrew, that _rat_, was still alive.

"But he is such a wonderful child," Mrs Potter continued, completely missing how rapidly Helena was breathing, with wide, disbelieving eyes. "Rather cheeky and reckless at times, but my beautiful baby boy whom I love to the moon and back."

Of course her grandmother would love James. Sirius had told of her of how hard of a time her grandparents had had at getting children. Numerous miscarriages, and a baby boy named Harrold dying at the mere age of two, had made them all but give up when James came along. Of course she loved him.

"Cheeky? Reckless?" an indignant voice sounded from the other side of the door to the room. It was deep, and a tad arrogant.

"Ha, she got you there, Prongs," another voice laughed. Helena's breath hitched as she recognized it. It was younger, more vibrant, and not as raspy. But she recognized that voice.

"Oh, sod off you bloody ponce!"

"James Charlus Potter!" Mrs Potter sternly said, loud enough for the two boys on the other side of the door to hear her. Helena couldn't help but smile, despite the situation, when she all but heard the two boys freeze up. "What have I told you about using that kind of language in this house?"

The door smashed open, making Helena jump, and revealing two boys standing with identical shit-eating grins. Helena's eyes widened.

The boy to the right was tall and thin. His eyes were hazel, hidden behind a pair of rectangular glasses, and his raven-black hair was incredibly untidy and stuck every possible direction. He was definitely muscular, but not bulky like Cormac McLaggen was. He was lean and taut. Restrained. Compared to an animal, Helena could imagine him as a horse.

He could only be James Potter.

Helena could finally see why people constantly told her that she was the spitting image of her father. Because she was: all of her features she had clearly inherited from him, only feminine instead of masculine. Even the shit-eating grin he was wearing at the moment, she had seen in the mirror many times.

The boy to the left was slightly shorter than James, but by no means short. He was darkly handsome, had fair skin, and striking grey eyes. He clearly took great pride in his hair, as it was as in pristine condition much like Lavender Brown's hair had been. It hung freely and slightly messy down to his shoulders. There was an air around him of casualty, yet at the same time elegance. And Helena, being a girl in her late teens, could very much admit that he was extremely well-built. Especially with the tight red tee he was wearing across his chest along with low-riding grey sweatpants.

Of course Helena recognized him as Sirius, even though she had to admit that it had taken her a few moments. While there was striking similarities between the Sirius she had mourned only a few years ago, and the Sirius in front of her, the air around them were different. This Sirius hadn't been tormented for twelve years in Azkaban. This Sirius hadn't lost his best friend to the First Wizarding War. This Sirius hadn't been _betrayed_ by a friend. This Sirius still had light in his eyes.

"To be imaginative and illustrative?" James asked in a innocent voice, in answer to his mother's question.

"No no, Prongs, I think it was colourful and raunchy," Sirius corrected his friend in just as innocent a voice.

"No no,-"

"Oh, why do I bother," Mrs Potter lamented with a smile. She turned to a still stunned Helena. "These are my boys, James and Sirius." Sirius seemed to lighten up with happiness as Mrs Potter described him as her son. And of course he would, with the atrocious relationship he had with his biological parents.

"You're finally awake, eh love?" teenage Sirius smiled dashingly at Helena. "Prongs here was sick with worry when we found you. Can't really say I blame him with how much you twitched and moaned. And not the good kind of moaning, mind you."

Helena blushed violently at what Sirius was implying.

"Sirius," Mrs Potter warned sternly.

Sirius sighed dramatically. "Sorry Mrs P."

"We never caught your name while we coincidentally were passing the door," James grinned. Mrs Potter gave him a deadpanned look, but he ignored it. "So what is your name?"

"Helena," Helena answered numbly.

"Well, I'm glad to see you're more or less okay," James said with a friendly smile. Helena felt her eyes began to water. Her father was glad that she was okay. No... he wasn't her father. He was... Ugh, this was so confusing.

"Oh, don't cry, love! Don't cr- way to go Prongsie, you made her cry," Sirius said, and pushed James. The bespectacled boy hadn't seen it coming, and stumbled a few steps forward.

"Oi!" James exclaimed. "Don't make me say just how many girl's you've made cry."

"Oh, please do," Sirius grinned cockily. "I would love to hear how many girl's I've made cry out my name."

James grinned before tackling Sirius. This time it was Sirius who hadn't seen it coming, and yelped as he fell to the floor. Soon enough the two boys were wrestling around, not taking a care that they were doing it in front of a practical stranger. Mrs Potter sighed.

Helena needed help. Oh, how she wished that Dumbledore was-. She perked up. It was 1976. _Dumbledore_ was alive.

"Could you get into contact with Dumbledore?" Helena asked. Her sudden question gained Mrs Potter's and the boy's attention.

"Dumbledore?" Sirius asked confused.

"Yeah," Helena said exasperated. "Professor Albus Dumbledore. Headmaster at Hogwarts, former Transfiguration Professor. More than just slightly eccentric, but one of the brightest minds and most wicked wandarm of the century?"

"What do you want to talk to that barmy old codger for?"

"_James Charlus Potter!_"

"Sorry mum..."

Mrs Potter sighed, before turning back to Helena. "I'm sure I can come in contact with him. Would Floo Call be acceptable, pet?"

Helena nodded awkwardly. "Yes, please. Thank you."

"Very well. Wait here and I'll go and call him," Mrs Potter said. "Boys, please keep Helena company. And, no, Sirius, that is not an invitation to slobber all over her."

"Aw, Mrs P, you hurt me," Sirius pouted. "You know I would never do that."

"I do know you," Mrs Potter said deadpanned. "And you would do exactly that. James, keep him in line, please."

"Of course, mum," James saluted.

After Mrs Potter left the room, it became extremely awkward for Helena. The two boys bantered endlessly with each other, and Helena knew if she wasn't scared shitless at the situation she was in, she would join them without hesitation. It didn't help on the uncomfortable atmosphere, that every time one of the boys asked her a question about where she had come from, why they hadn't seen her at Hogwarts, how come she had laid battered in the middle of the street, that she would tactfully dodge it and change subject.

That was why she was very relieved when the door opened again, and Mrs Potter came walking in with Dumbledore in tow. While she knew she had missed the old coot, she hadn't been prepared for her heart to ache as much as it did when she saw him. How she had missed that smile and those twinkling blue eyes. She had even missed the beard that Dumbledore had prided himself with, though this Dumbledore's beard was only to the middle of his chest instead of to his waist.

Yes, part of her was angry at Dumbledore. He had made mistakes. But in her mind, he had made the best of a bad situation. Helena firmly believed that if she had been told she was a Horcrux and that she needed to die for Tom Riddle to die earlier, then she would've still walked to her death with her head held high. But _if_ she had been told, she might not have lived the life she had come to love. Everybody made mistakes. Helena had been through too much to hold onto a grudge, and to not grant forgiveness to a person who had been through as much as Dumbledore.

"Ah, Mr Potter, Mr Black," Dumbledore greeted as he saw the two boys. "I hope this summer find you in good graces so far?"

"Of course, your Professorhead," James grinned. "Lots of pranks to plan for the new year, you know?"

"Of course, of course," Dumbledore chuckled. "Boys will be boys, after all. I will admit, that I had hoped that you perhaps would focus on your studies a bit more. Merlin knows it would help Minerva with her blood pressure."

"Nah, Minnie will be fine," Sirius waved his hand. Helena had to bite back a laughter at the nickname for the Transfiguration Professor. She would not like at all to be called that. Worst of all, Helena was sure that was exactly what the Marauders called her. "No one can take her down. Believe me, we've tried."

Dumbledore nodded. "Now, as much as I enjoy our conversation, I believe that your friend here is waiting to speak with me."

It was a clear dismissal. Helena didn't know anyone other than the Headmaster who could give a dismissal like that, softly and offhandedly, but with clear intention.

"Of course, Padfoot and I was going to go fly anyway," James said, grabbing Sirius by the arm. "Hope you get better, Helena."

"Yes, please do, love," Sirius shouted as they walked out the door.

Mrs Potter shook her head with a smile. "Those boys..."

"Indeed," Dumbledore smiled. Then he turned to Helena, and looked quite surprised when he saw her. "Hello, I don't believe we have met. Though you obviously at least know of me, since you asked for me."

"I know you very well, Headmaster," Helena said. Then she glanced at the door, and got the feeling that the boys might not have gone out to fly. She grabbed her wand, Dumbledore only tensing slightly as she did, and twirled it in the air as she cast about a dozen wards. Being on the run for almost a year had made her very proficient in casting them – and the wards she had just cast were only a fraction of what she, Hermione, and Ron had been protected by

Mrs Potter stood with wide eyes, while Dumbledore's eyes shone with mirth.

"Quite impressive," Dumbledore nodded. "I would say that even the Aurors would have to spend a few minutes to break through those wards." He then brought out his own wand, the Elder Wand, and conjured his usual red armchair to sit in. As he sat down, while Mrs Potter sat down in the chair by the foot of the bed, Dumbledore spoke. "Now, why don't you tell me what is going on?"

Helena sighed deeply.

"You spoke as if you knew of my son and James, but the two of them acted as if they had never seen you before they found you in the street," Dorea Potter spoke. Her voice was gentle, but still unforgiving. She had a look in her eyes that Helena recognized from all the Black women she had met – Bellatrix Lestrange, Narcissa Malfoy, and Andromeda Tonks –, a look full of determination.

"I can't say I knew James," Helena said sorrowfully. "But I knew Sirius. It is the same reason why you, Professor Dumbledore, say that you have never laid eyes on me before, but I can probably tell you things about yourself that only you know." She took another deep breath, and looked Dumbledore directly into his eyes. "My name is Helichrysa Dorea Potter and I was born the 31st of July 1980. I am the daughter of James Potter and Lily Evans. And up until a week ago, from what I gather from Mrs Potter, I was attending my Seventh Year at Hogwarts. I have been attending Hogwarts since 1991, though last year I was on the run with Hermione Granger, a muggleborn witch, and Ronald Weasley, the sixth born son of Arthur Weasley, attempting to defeat Tom Riddle, or Lord Voldemort as he had dubbed himself." Both Mrs Potter and Dumbledore looked pale. It was not a look Helena liked on Dumbledore. It reminded her fat too much of how he had looked after Snape had hit him with the Killing Curse. "We defeated him, and I went back to Hogwarts. Before I woke up here, the date was November 7th 1998."

"By Merlin's Glorious Beard," Dumbledore breathed softly, his eyes displaying pure shock. "But however did you do that? How did you come to be in this time, when you should be twenty-two years into the future."

"I was writing a paper for Professor McGonagall on time travelling, and I stumbled across a book that described the process of creating the Time Turner," Helena told the Headmaster numbly. "There was a spell that was supposed to take me back an hour, and I wanted to use it to prove the theory I had written in my paper. I don't know what happened after that, because for all intents and purposes I shouldn't be here."

"That much is clear, because I'm afraid I don't even know what a Time Turner is," Dumbledore told her gently.

Helena shook her head. "No, you don't understand. I shouldn't, _can't_, be here. It is simply not possible, yet here I am."

Dumbledore frowned. "Explain, please."

"Time flows in a continuous loop. You can't jump back in time more than a day at most. More than that, and Time protects itself. You simply cease to exist!"

Dumbledore's eyes twinkled at the obviously new knowledge. After all, Time Turners wouldn't be created for another five years – even though there would be working prototypes by now. But that didn't matter much to Helena's circumstances. You could only jump back in time, not forward. And even if you could jump forward in time, Helena wasn't sure she should. As she said, she shouldn't _exist_.

"Please," Helena all but begged. "You have got to believe me. Professor, I know you are a skilled Legimens. I give you permission to enter my mind to see that I'm not lying."

Dumbledore smiled softly. A smile that had comforted her greatly in the past, and which comforted her now. "I do not have to read your mind to know you speak the truth, Miss Potter. I can see it in your eyes."

Dorea Potter, who had with a pale face looked back and forward as Helena and Dumbledore had spoken, gently gripped Helena's hand. Helena looked up to see the elderly woman with tears in her eyes.

"Are you truly my Jamie's daughter? My granddaughter?" she asked with a shaky voice.

Helena gave the woman a small smile. "Yes. Where else would I have gotten my middle name?"

Tears of happiness filled her grandmother's eyes, as a smile of pure joy spread on her face. Then it was replaced by dread, and Dorea tightened her grip on Helena's hand slightly.

"... You said you didn't know James. You knew Sirius, but... Will something happen to my Jamie?" Helena closed her eyes as sorrow contorted her face. At the sharp intake of breath she heard from Mrs Potter, Helena knew she had understood. "What will happen?"

"I can't tell you," Helena said shakily. "I don't know how I am here, when it shouldn't be possible. But one of the first laws of Time Travel is that you must not meddle with the events which has already come to pass. Just me talking to you two is meddling. I can't disrupt the timeline more than I already have."

"Miss Potter, you do realise that the past, or our future as you knew it, no longer exists, don't you? Or at least it doesn't exist here." Dumbledore's voice was heavy, and he suddenly appeared very tired. Again Helena got a flashback from where he laid at the bottom of the Astronomy Tower. "That means that whatever you tell us here and now, will change nothing, as there is nothing to change."

It took a few seconds for what Dumbledore had said to register with Helena.

"_What!?"_

"You yourself said that it wasn't possible to travel more than a day back into the past, before Time itself protects itself by destroying the time traveller. This is an established fact, and not just an educated guess, yes?" Helena nodded numbly. "Logic dictates then, since you are in fact not dead but quite alive, despite your injuries, that you have _not_ travelled to the past."

As Dumbledore spoke, Helena began to frown more and more. But if she wasn't in the past... But... No, it couldn't be!

"From the look on your face, I would wager that you have a theory," Dumbledore said calmly.

"I have a theory, though it is not exactly mine," Helena said with a frown, as she looked between Dumbledore and Mrs Potter. "While doing my research for Professor McGonagall's paper, I quickly glossed over a book that spoke of different timelines existing side by side, but never interfering with one another. It theorized that each time there is a choice, down to whether we chose to blink a moment later or not, the timelines split, where each one contain a different possibility."

"Hmm," Dumbledore hummed. "Couldn't it be possible, then, that wizards and witches who have travelled more than a day back in time don't actually cease to exist, but actually creates their own timeline due to the amount of possibilities which is changing by such a long leap?"

"It... makes sense," Helena hesitated. And then it hit her. "Oh, Great Merlin. That means I can't go back. I'm stuck."

"I'm afraid so, my dear. I do not know of any way to jump forward in time. Do you?"

"I don't." It came out as barely a whisper. Helena closed her eyes as tears began ever so slowly to roll down her cheeks. She felt the bed dip down as someone sat in it beside her, and a moment later she was embraced. She tensed up, her injuries acting up at the contact, but she fought through it. How many times hadn't she wanted to be embraced by her grandmother.

So Helena Potter leaned into Dorea Potter's arm and started to cry.

She would never see her friends again. She would never wake up, already seeing Hermione sitting in her bed, fussing over some school work or other, or see her eyes light up when the teacher asked a question she knew the answer to. She would never have Ron begging her to come play Quidditch with him, and she would never see her two best friends sitting in front of the fire place, Ron whispering sweet nothings into Hermione's ear. She would never sit with the Weasleys around the table, the chaos seemingly at home, and smile at the feeling of belonging. She would never receive a knitted jumper from Molly on Christmas Morning, which she would wear regularly until she received a new one the next Christmas. She would never have long conversations with Arthur about muggle invention, seeing his eyes light up much like Hermione's did.

She would never see any of them again.

Oh how she cried into the arms of her grandmother. She was not normally a crying person: crying in the Dursley household just earned you a beating. That said, there had been occasions where she had cried. She had cried after the Tri-Wizard tournament. She had cried at Cedric Diggory's funeral. She had cried after it hit her that Sirius was dead. She had cried at Dumbledore's funeral. She had cried after the Final Battle. But other than that, she rarely cried.

But now, she was crying. She was crying because everyone she knew, everyone she loved, she had been torn away from.

~ Helichrysa Dorea Potter ~

After Helena had cried for about half an hour, she had finally run out of tears. As she had begun narrating what would happen the next twenty years, Dorea had suggested that they postpone it until the day after, but Helena had been adamant. So they had sat in the small room for four hours, only interrupted when Dorea had called for one of the Potter house elves to bring refreshments. By the end of her dark tale, both Dorea and Dumbledore had sat with chalk white face.

"He made _Horcuxes_?" Dorea asked horrified. It really wasn't surprising that she would know what a Horcrux was – after all, her maiden name was Black. "What could push a person to do such a thing?"

"Tom wasn't a person in the end," Helena told her grandmother. "He was something else. Something less than human. I saw the piece of his soul that had resided inside me when I was in the In Between. It was not human." Helena shuddered. "Seven Horcruxes will without a doubt mutilate the human soul beyond any recognition. Though, I do not know what pushed Tom to create the first one. From what my Dumbledore told me, Tom had always been ambitious, the perfect Slytherin, but never had he imagined that Tom would go that far."

"I can imagine," Dumbledore breathed out. "Seven Horcruxes... To think that it is even possible for the human soul to bear such damage."

"Well, what was left of his soul wasn't stable," Helena reminded him. "Or else a piece of it would never had been able to dislodge itself from him and then attach to me, when he tried to kill me the first time." Dumbledore hummed as he nodded.

"How many Horcruxes do you reckon Tom has created by now?" Dumbledore asked.

"It is hard to say," Helena admitted. "Five, I think. He created his first Horcrux from Myrtle's death when the Chamber of Secret first opened in 1943, and he had Ravenclaw's Lost Diadem with him when he applied to teach the Defence Against the Dark Art class in 1956. He got both Helga Hufflepuff's cup and Salazar Slytherin's locket from a witch by the name of Hepzibah Smith who died in 1946, most likely killed by Tom. And finally, he got his hands on Marvolo Gaunt's Ring shortly after he was of age, in the summer of 1946."

Dumbledore nodded with a thoughtful look on his face. "And he accidentally created a Horcrux of you when he tried to kill you in 1981, and he made a Horcrux out of the snake, Nagini, between the late spring of 1991 and the summer of 1994."

"But that was in my timeline," Helena reminded the Headmaster of. "He may very well do the same in this timeline, but he may very well chose differently. He will, for example, never get to kill my mum and dad here." She was determined at that. They would _not_ die, not before they were old and wrinkly and had loads of grandchildren.

"But he would have created the Horcruxes in this timeline, that he had made in your timeline by 1976," Dorea argued. Dumbledore and Helena looked inquiringly at her. "From what you said about timelines, a new one is created by every choice, or when someone travels too far back in time. It's the second option that has happened here, and that means that _you_ are the different choice. But that also mean that everything else is the same."

"I wouldn't be so sure," Dumbledore frowned. "Time is a tricky thing, and we are in completely uncharged waters here. It would be best not to make any conclusions, for now at least. You may very well be right, Dorea, but for now, I would like to keep my mind open."

"Of course," Dorea nodded.

Dumbledore then turned back to Helena. "Do you think we'd be able to locate the five Horcruxes you mentioned, if he indeed has created them here?"

"I doubt it. Not all of them at least," Helena answered with a sceptic expression. "Ravenclaw's diadem and Slytherin's locket, I am fairly confident will be where they were in my timeline, if you know..." Helena waved her hand, and Dumbledore understood. If they had actually been created, and Tom had made the same decisions. "And probably the Ring as well," Helena mused. "But I doubt that the Malfoys and Lestranges are high enough on the tier of Tom's followers as yet to use their quarters to hide such valuable objects."

"I see..." Dumbledore trailed off. He shook his head and sighed. "This is far too an important subject to conclude in a single afternoon, and the hour grows late. I suggest that we let it rest for now, until another day."

"But-"

"I agree," Dorea cut off with a frown. "No matter how important this is, and Merlin knows I know how important it is, it won't do any good if you collapse from exhaustion. You might be good at hiding it, but I can see how you've flinched when you've moved. You need your rest."

Helena wanted to be annoyed. She really did. But this was also the kind of thing she had wanted her whole life. A parent, and grandparent, who really looked out for her.

"Yes, ma'am," Helena said with a small smile. Dorea smiled brightly back.

"There is one thing left to decide, though," Dumbledore said and leaned forward. "What are we going to do about you?"

"She is staying here, of course," Dorea said without hesitation. Helena looked with eyes wide of surprise. Yes, Dorea had been nothing but kind, and yes, Helena was her granddaughter. But Dorea technically didn't wasn't responsible for her. "Oh, don't look so surprised, pet. I will not have a granddaughter of mine live anywhere but in the Potter manor. I don't care if you are of age: you haven't had a real family since..." Dorea gulped, not able to say it. Since her parents were killed. "And I think we can both agree that those _Dursleys_ doesn't count."

"Yes, ma'am," Helena repeated, this time with a chuckle. She got all warm and fuzzy inside, and couldn't keep the smile off of her face.

"That's settled then," Dumbledore nodded with a satisfied smile. From knowing Dumbledore – and Helena had to admit that they had been rather close, even if Dumbledore still had his secrets – Helena could see that the old wizard had hoped that Dorea would open up her home. "As for school... While I am sure you are a talented student and duellist, from what I could understand from your tale, you wished to finish your Seventh Year at Hogwarts?"

"Yes, sir," Helena nodded. "In fact, Professor McGonagall was teaching me one-on-one, so that I could take over as Transfiguration Professor when I finished."

Dumbledore looked surprised. "At such a young age?"

Helena gave a proud smile. "She said that I was the best Transfiguration student she had ever had the pleasure of teaching. She even once told me, that she thought I could probably rival your skills one day."

"Indeed?" Dumbledore said, his eyes shining with pride. "That is high words of praise from Minerva."

"Yeah, well, I've always been very interested in Transfiguration," Helena admitted. "It started because I wanted to know why I was different, and then I just got so enthralled with the subject."

Dumbledore nodded, having been told during her dark tale that she was a metamorphmagus.

"Well, Miss Potter, what would you say if I offered you a spot at Hogwarts?" Dumbledore smiled widely, a smile slowly also spreading on Helena's face at his offer. "Considering it's currently the Summer holiday, we can quite easily place you within the school for the upcoming school year in September."

"I would love that," Helena said enthusiastically. "Though... I have a request."

"Truly?"

"Yes," Helena nodded. "I know I'm two years their senior, but I would like to enrol in the Sixth Year. I know it's completely unheard of, but I've never known my parents, and..."

"No need to say anything else," Dumbledore said fondly. "In fact it could work out quite well. Even if things has the potential to be different in this timeline, the knowledge in your head would be invaluable to Tom. Having you enrol in Sixth Year instead of Seventh Year, would keep you closer to my person for a longer period of time."

"And, in addition, it would be easier to arrange meetings between us, I would guess?" Helena said with a small smirk.

"Indeed," Dumbledore chuckled.

"But how would you explain why she would be two years older than anyone else?" Dorea asked. "Come to think of, what should I tell Charlus? I'm smart enough to know that the knowledge that Helena is from the future, or different timeline, or whatnot, should be kept between as few people as possible."

"Hmm," it came from the Headmaster.

"For why I'm older... Perhaps we could say that I had a case of Magus Infesticia around the time I should've enrolled in my First Year of magical education?" Helena suggest. Dorea gasped slightly, and Helena gave her an apologetic smile. Dorea and Charlus first boy, Helena's uncle, had died from it.

"No one would question it," Dumbledore mused. "It is well know how serious the parasites are, even if the cases are becoming increasingly sparse, thankfully."

Dorea gulped, and shook away the tears. "I have a suggestion for where Helena came from. Charlus had an uncle, Edgar Potter, who disappeared during the forties, after some sort of falling out with Charlus's grandfather. We could say she was a descendant of his?"

"But why would I appear out of nowhere? And where is the rest of my family?" Helena asked.

"It may be grim, but I suggest we say that your family was killed by Tom and his Death Eaters," Dumbledore sighed. "After killing your parents, they tortured you, before leaving you somewhere they knew one of the Potters would find you. It is a well known fact that the Potter family supports the Light side. You would then be a warning. It has happened before, a branch of a family being slaughtered with one survivor to tell the tale. The Bones, for example."

"And it wouldn't exactly be a complete lie," Helena said hesitantly. "My parents and a lot of my friends _were_ killed by Death Eaters. And Tom has had me tortured more than a few times."

Dorea frowned heavily. "It's a necessary evil, I guess."

"That it is," Dumbledore agreed. Taking a deep breath, he nodded. "Very well then. I must say that I did not expect this when I awoke this morning, but it certainly has been informative. Horcruxes..." His face turned dark as he shook it. "But I really must be off now. I have a lot to arrange with the upcoming school year, and I see that I must accelerate the formation of the Order of the Phoenix." He stood up and vanished the chair. "I shall see you shortly, Miss Potter. And, again, my condolences for what has happened to you. But remember that what you have told me of here today will save a lot of lives."

"Yes, sir," Helena nodded.

"I think it is only right that you call me Albus, dear girl," Dumbledore smiled. "At least in private." He nodded. "Dorea, dear. I would have liked to say that it had been a pleasure, but that wouldn't exactly describe this afternoon very well, would it?"

"No, Albus, it certainly wouldn't," Dorea sighed. "I guess I'll be seeing you around."

"I hope you don't mind opening up your house for my conversations with Miss Potter?" Dumbledore asked.

"Of course not," Dorea said in a no-nonsense voice.

"Thank you," Dumbledore inclined his head. "I will contact you by owl, if you don't mind. And please remember, Miss Potter, my door will be open if you need to speak. And not just about the knowledge that you have."

"Thank you... Albus," Helena said, feeling slightly awkward calling the old wizard by his first name. He had always been Professor, and after Fifth Year, simply 'Dumbledore'.

Albus nodded before walking out the door. Helena sighed, and dispelled the wards that she had put up hours earlier.

"You get some rest, pet," Dorea told Helena. "I will check on you. And if you need anything, please do call on a house elf. I will charge an elf by the name of Meelo to bond with you, at least temporarily."

"Alright," Helena smiled. "Thank you."

"You're most welcome, my dear Helena."


	2. A Legendary Love

**Disclaimer:** I do not own anything of Harry Potter. Everything is owned by the amazing Joanne Rowling. I have merely taken the liberty of playing with her amazing work.

**The Jump**

**Chapter Two:** A Legendary Love

~ Helichrysa Dorea Potter ~

"Mrs Potter, I-"

"It's Dorea, pet. Or Aunt Dorea. Whichever you prefer." Dorea smiled softly, revealing two rows of pearly-white teeth. That was also Bellatrix's smile, Helena realized with a shudder. Only Dorea's teeth weren't crooked and yellowed, and the smile lacked the absolute insanity that had made it crawl up and down Helena's back. Dorea leaned in. "I would really prefer you to have called me Grams, but I understand why that isn't possible."

Helena smiled softly. "Aunt Dorea, then." Dorea nodded in satisfaction. "I really don't think I should lay around my bed all day. I don't hurt as much as I did yesterday, and-"

"But you _are_ still hurting?" Dorea asked with a raised eyebrow.

"…yes."

"Then you are staying right there," Dorea stated, leaving no room for argument. Geez, this woman could give Madame Pomfrey a run for her galleons. "I have almost two decades of fussing to make up for, and I will not take no for an answer."

Again that fuzzy feeling spread throughout her body, and a soft smile planted itself firmly upon her face. It wasn't as if Helena hadn't had anyone care for her, because Molly certainly had. But it was somehow different when it was someone of one's blood that took care of one. Merlin knows how she would've handled this, if Dorea hadn't been there to help her.

"Yes, ma'am," Helena said, not at all ashamed at the brilliant smile she wore.

"Good," Dorea nodded. "You stay here recovering, and I promise you I'll see to it that you join us for supper. My Charlus really is looking forward to meeting you. He would've been up here to greet you as soon as he was sure you were awake, but he is rather old fashioned on some points: he simply won't enter a room with a woman who isn't his wife still lying in bed." Dorea rolled her eyes. "No one would think ill of him for it, and you _are_ family, but I couldn't convince him."

"It's all right," Helena said, as she brushed a strand of hair behind her ear. "I'm just looking forward to meeting him, you know? Sirius spoke so highly of him. He told of the screaming match Charlus and Walburga had at Platform Nine-And-Three-Quarters after his Fifth Year, which ended in you and Charlus taking Sirius fully in. I guess that only happened a few weeks ago."

Dorea who had had a fond expression on her face, suddenly frowned in confusion.

"Pet, Sirius has pretty much lived with us since James met him in First Year," Helena's grandmother told her. "He visited us for a few days during Christmas, and I saw what that _woman_ did to him. I wouldn't let him stay at that house more than he had to."

Helena frowned, before sighing. "Well, I guess we have just proved that there is in fact differences to the time where I came from and this time."

"I guess so," Dorea smiled sadly. "Now," she said clapping, changing the subject, "if you feel that you can rest no longer, would you like me to fetch James and Sirius? They have been rather worried, and curious, about you. They know of your back-story, about the Death Eaters and all that, and that you are a Potter, but not anything else. I thought I'd leave that to you." It was clear that Dorea wasn't comfortable lying about something like Death Eaters, and even lying in general, but Helena was glad that she saw the necessity.

"James and Sirius?" Helena asked. Her mouth went dry and she gulped.

"Yes, pet, James and Sirius," Dorea said amused. "About yay high, both troublemakers, both incredibly handsome if I do say so myself."

Helena gave a small smile. "I know _who_ they are, it's just... It's not easy facing them. I never knew dad – James... got to get used to calling him James –, but I heard so much about him, and read even more. And Sirius was the closest thing I had to family before he died. It's just... It's just _hard_."

"I know, pet," Dorea sighed as she sat down beside Helena on the bed. Tugging a strand of her behind Helena's ear and caressing her cheek, Dorea continued. "I know it's hard, but you have got to remember that the two boys out there aren't the same James and Sirius from where you came from. It's only moments ago that we established that Sirius has lived here since he were twelve instead of fifteen. And they are not destined to die like they did in your time. I'd wager that you'd do anything to keep them from dying, aren't you?"

"Anything," Helena said determinedly. "I'd rather die than see them suffer."

Dorea gave a sad smile. "I know. But remember that. They are _not_ going to die. They are here, right now, breathing and their hearts beating. And they are very eager to meet you." Dorea rose to her feet. "So shall I fetch the boys then, pet?"

"I guess," Helena said hesitantly. "I am going to meet them sooner or later. And I've never really been one to postpone things."

"All righty, then. I'll go get them. I won't be too long," Dorea nodded with a smile. "And relax. They're both wonderful boys. And James is rather thrilled to be getting a sister, you know. He has always wanted a sibling as much as Charlus and I have wanted another child. I guess our dreams has come true, yes?"

Helena didn't answer, just blushing hard. Dorea smiled brighter at that, and went to get the boys.

It was weird. Being truly _wanted_. Now, again, she wasn't unwanted by anyone (but the Dursleys) and the Weasleys had done a terrific job at all but adopting her, but it wasn't the same as having a family. It wasn't the same as be sitting in a house that dozens of generations of Potters had grown up in. It wasn't the same as having your grandmother comfort you and hug you.

She jumped as the door slammed open, much like in the same manner as it had done the day before. In swaggered one Sirius Black with a wide grin on his face. James came in a moment later with a disapproving frown on his face.

"Padfoot! Mum said we could visit if we _didn't_ act to wild," James admonished.

"Ah relax, Prongsie," Sirius waved.

James lowered her voice. "Remember what she has been through, Sirius." It was clear it hadn't been meant for her to hear.

Sirius sobered up, and then pouted. "Spoilsport." James smiled in triumph, before turning to Helena who had sat passively observing them.

"So," James said loudly and jovially, "my mother tells Padfoot and I that you'll be living with us from now on?"

"It would seem so," Helena agreed, hoping the two boys wouldn't sense just how nervous she was. She didn't like being nervous. And, really: she had stood face to face with Voldemort, and hadn't been this nervous. These were two boys not even of age! But, then again, Helena wasn't expected to duel them, but to befriend them.

James smiled brightly at her answer, he smiled _her_ smile. "Allow me to introduce myself, then." He got overly formal, and started speaking in a extremely posh voice. "I am James Charlus Potter, heir to The Noble and Most Ancient House of Potter. Hero, Marauder, and future Quidditch Captain of Puddlemere United."

"Who suck troll balls," Sirius coughed loudly. James sent him a glare.

"Please excuse the mutt over there," James jerked his thump to Sirius. "He was a stray we took in, so please don't judge him by the way he smells."

"Oi!" Sirius playfully pushed James, who was grinning. Sirius then turned to Helena. "Ignore the bloody ponce; he doesn't know what he is talking about. I am just-"

"An ignorant prick?" James suggested with a snicker.

"No, that was not what I was going to say!" Sirius exclaimed at him. "I'm so great that little Jamie-wamie here gets a little jealous from time to time."

James stopped snickering.

"You are not, and I do not," James insisted, playfully serious.

Sirius dismissed it with a wave. "I am Sirius Orion Black the Third. Besides being incredibly handsome and _generous_, I'm Scorpio, enjoy watching sunsets from my broom, and taking long walks on breaches, preferably with sand." As he finished, he threw himself down on the bed beside Helena. Merlin knew the bed was big enough.

By the way Sirius had given a smouldering look and heartbreaker smile as he has said 'generous', it was clear he wasn't talking about money. If it had been anybody else, Helena would have blushed since, yes, she was a virgin, and didn't really discuss sexual things well. But because it was Sirius, it was just so surreal, that she had to bite her lower lip not to laugh.

"Oi, none of that, you bloody wreck!" James said sternly, as he sat cross legged by her feet. "That's my sister you are talking to. You can shag anything else with a skirt on, even anything without a skirt, but my sister is off limits!"

Sirius rolled his eyes overdramatically. "Fine~."

The two then turned to her as one, reminding her strongly of Fred and George, and looked inquiringly at her.

"And what about you, love?" Sirius asked.

"Yeah, tell us about yourself!" James said excitedly. "I want to know _everything _about my new sister."

Sirius gave James a look. "Careful, Prongs, or you might turn into a girl."

James's eyes widened comically. He turned frantically to Sirius. "Quickly, punch me! I don't want to be a girl!" Sirius gave James a punch on the shoulder which couldn't have been completely painless. "Phew, a close one."

Helena snorted. "Seriously?"

"Oi," Sirius said. "I would tell you that this is a very serious thing!"

"Yeah," James agreed. "Can't have boys go around turning to girls. First it will start by _talking_, then you start liking frills and pink, and then, then, then-"

"I got it, jeez," Helena laughed. As she stopped, the two boys looked expectantly at her. "What?"

"Are you going to introduce yourself or what?" Sirius said exasperated. "I'm dying of curiosity here."

"Oh... Okay," it came from Helena. "I'm Helena Potter, and, erm..." she trailed off, not sure what to say.

_Hello, I'm Helichrysa Dorea Potter, but I go by Helena. If I catch you calling me by me real first name, I will hex your bollocks off, roast them, and force you to eat them. I'm not actually from around here, but twenty-two years into the future where I am known as The-Girl-Who-Lived-To-Conquer and am a recipient of an Order of Merlin, First Class, for vanquishing Tom Riddle who is better known as the Dark Lord Voldemort. Oh, don't look surprised, I just had to destroy his seven Horcruxes, which included breaking into Gringotts Bank and fighting through uncountable Death Eaters, and then beat Tom in a one-on-one duel. Anyway, I'm actually yours and Lily Evan's daughter, James, and your goddaughter, Sirius. Sadly, I never knew either of you or Lily since you died when I was one, and I watched you, Sirius, die only a few years ago. Is that good enough information for you there, boys?_

Besides probably destroying any and all opportunities to change the future with the knowledge she had, telling them that would most likely give her a one-way ticket to Saint Mungo's.

"Prongs, I think you broke her," Sirius whispered loudly, leaning over to his friend. Helena shot him a death glare, which made James snicker.

"Oh, yeah, you are definitely a Potter," James said with a laugh. "No one but mum can give a glare like that. Well, and now you also. You better watch out, Padfoot."

"Geez, sorry," Sirius said frantically. "Just stop looking at me with those eyes!"

Helena rolled her eyes at his antics. "Alright, my name is Helena Potter-"

"You already told us that," Sirius piped in. A glare shut him up, much to James's amusement.

"_As I said_, my name is Helena Potter," Helena tried again, glaring at Sirius daring him to interrupt her again. He held his hand up in surrender, causing the metamorphmagus to smile smugly in satisfaction. "I like Transfiguration, duelling, Defence Against the Dark Arts, Treacle Tart, flying, and Tom Riddle's burning corpse to dance around."

The two boys glanced at each other. They looked like they had a nonverbal discussion, motioning to her with their head and widened eyes. Finally Sirius sighed and turned to her.

"Who is Tom Riddle?"

"He has dubbed himself 'Lord Voldemort'," Helena scoffed. "He is no more lord than I am."

The two boys' eyes widened, before looking impressed. Tom had already gained quite a reputation by the year 1976, and while he wasn't as feared as he was Helena first entered the Wizarding World, there wasn't many who referred to him by his name. Well, his dubbed name. Helena had gotten a habit of calling him Tom, mostly because she knew how much it pissed him off.

"Don't let mum hear you say his name," James told her. "If you think she gets angry when you swear, then you should see her when you use His name."

"Prongsie, I think it was because you were using His name as a swear," Sirius snickered. He turned to Helena, "He stubbed his toe and shouted so the whole manor could hear, '_By Voldemort's hairy nipple!_'."

Helena snorted. "Good one."

"That's what I thought," James grinned. "Mum didn't agree."

"I can imagine."

"Well, love," Sirius said, changing the subject. "I admire your bravery and determination. I think you'll make an excellent Gryffindor."

Helena smirked mentally. He had no idea.

"You think so?" she asked in false modesty. Not that the boys could tell that it was false. "Did Mrs Po- Aunt Dorea tell you that I will be attending Hogwarts this September along with you two?"

"Aunt Dorea?" James asked.

"It was that or Dorea," Helena shrugged. "Your mother can be very insistent." Something Helena now knew she had inherited from her.

"Oh, I know," James laughed. "And, yes, she did mention it. Will you be in Sixth Year?"

"Yep," Helena answered, popping the 'p'. "Since you ask, I'd wager that's the year that you and Sirius is attending?"

"It sure is," Sirius said happily. "You just got to be Gryffindor. Then we'll have most classes together."

"I don't know," Helena shrugged. "Being a Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff wouldn't be bad."

"A Hufflepuff," Sirius repeated with a confused frown. "Why the hell would you want to be a 'puff?"

"Why wouldn't I want to be a 'puff?" Helena challenged with a raised eyebrow.

"They're so _boring_," Sirius said overly dramatic.

"You didn't seem to think so last year, when you went around Snugglepuffing," James said in an amused tone.

Helena turned confused to him. "Snugglepuffing?"

"Snogging Hufflepuffs," James answered with a grin.

"Yeah, well," Sirius grinned lecherous. "_That_ part of Hufflepuff isn't boring."

Helena rolled her eyes, and pushed him out of the bed. "Pig."

Sirius landed on the floor with a thump, and James quickly took his seat, sprawling next to Helena on his stomach.

"Hey!" it came from Sirius.

"I'm surprised you didn't do that sooner," James grinned at her. "Padfoot here can be a right prat sometimes."

"Oi!"

"Hush, precious, you know it's true."

"That's priceless coming from you," Sirius retorted as he got up again. Realising he wasn't getting his spot back, he sat where James had sat moments before. "You can't be in the same room with Lily Evans for more than two minutes, before she starts slinging hexes at you."

"Don't your pretty little arse about that, Paddy," James told Sirius, who looked oddly pleased at the way he had worded it. "I will have you know that this will be the year that I will win my beautiful Lily-flower over and get her to fall in love with me! Just you wait and see!"

"And who, may I ask, is this Lily Evans?" Helena asked. Hopefully she wouldn't seem _too_ interested. But the fact was that she wanted to know. She wanted to know about her mother.

The pure adoration and love that shone from James all but floored Helena. To think that Lily hadn't hurled more than hexes and insults at him, and he was already so in love. Helena had to fight not to cry. This was the love that would make him sacrifice himself for she and her mother.

"My Lily-flower is perfection." James suddenly blushed. "She is like water in a desert: rare and valuable. She is smart and kind-"

"To anybody but Prongs here," Sirius interrupted.

"She just has an odd way of showing her love for me," James insisted before continuing. "And she is one of the most beautiful people I've ever met." He had gotten a dreamy look on his face. A watery smile spread on Helena's lip. "It's not that I don't think you're beautiful, but you're family and my sister, so that's a no-no. I don't care what the other Pureblood families, like the Blacks, are into. The Potters are not incestuous."

"Thank Merlin for that," Sirius rolled his eyes. "Having one family who is mad due to inbreeding is enough. One more, and it will probably ruin the Wizarding World."

"There is just something about Lily," James breathed. "She got something that no one else has. She is beautiful, and intelligent, and smart."

"And annoying," Sirius piped in. "Don't forget annoying." James threw an annoyed glare at his best friend. "What? Don't go deny it. She has got absolutely no sense of humour at all."

"...Fine," James then agreed. "So perhaps – and only perhaps! – she has got a questionable sense of humour. That can be corrected. But other than that, she is kind, and wonderful, and beautiful, and intelligent, and kind-"

"You already said kind," Sirius reminded him.

"Y-yeah, well," James blushed. "She is so kind that it deserved to be mentioned twice."

"Yeah, she is kind. Kind to anybody but you."

"I already told you: she has just got an odd way of showing her love for me."

Helena couldn't hold back the tears anymore, as much as she tried. And for once, she actually wasn't annoyed that she was crying. The way that her father – her brother... she had to think of him as her brother now – was speaking of Lily... It was everything she had hoped for. She had heard for years people speaking of the love James held for Lily, but she had always thought they romanticised their memories. She could see here and now that they weren't. James loved Lily, even before she had spoken a kind word to him.

"Helena?" James suddenly said a bit frantic and got up. "Oh, sorry, did I hurt you somehow? I didn't mean to. Just wait, I'll go get mum and she-"

"No, you didn't hurt me," Helena sniffed slightly, and dried her tears in the duvet. "It's just, your love for her. It's beautiful."

Sirius face softened. "It really is."

"She is a lucky girl, James," Helena smiled. "Really lucky."

"Thank you," James blushed as he sat down again. "I just need her to just _talk_ to me. Then I'm sure I can convince her."

"I'm sure you will," Helena told him. Though, in her time it hadn't been before the Marauder's and Lily's Seventh year that James and Lily had started to date. But... again, things were different here. Especially now that she was there.

"I know," James said. And Helena realized that he was in fact slightly arrogant. But the way she had seen him in Snape's memory... A little arrogance wasn't bad. Helena knew she could be arrogant, especially when it concerned Transfiguration. She loved how good she was as it, and loved that she was better than others at it.

"Other than your Lily-flower," Helena said to change the subject, James beaming at her when she called Lily _his_ Lily-flower. "What is interesting about Hogwarts?"

Helena became grateful that Dorea had talked her into letting the boys entertain her. While there were moments that Helena got flashbacks to standing in front of her parents grave with Hermione, and flashbacks to seeing Sirius fall into the veil with a numb expression upon his face, it helped to remind herself of what Dorea had said: the boys in front of her, this Sirius and this James, weren't the Sirius and James she had (and hadn't) known. And it also helped that the boys were so fun to be with.

The boys told her of Hogwarts for hours. Helena would've thought they would eventually grow bored of it and her, but they seemed to be enjoying being there and enjoying making her laugh. They told of everything, every subject, every teacher, all their escapades, and of Sirius _personal_ escapades. The last of them she really didn't want to hear about. Sirius was worse than Seamus, Gryffindor's self-dubbed residential Super Pervert. Seriously, how could anyone be worse than a _self-dubbed Super Pervert_? But from how James and Sirius spoke, Sirius was worse by leagues.

Lunch had passed by quickly. Two house elves had appeared and served them lunch, and Helena was happy to see that the two boys were treating the elves with respect. House elves would always hold a small piece of her heart, after what she had experience with Dobby and Kreacher. It hadn't been easy to admit that helping the elves wasn't as easy as to just free them. During Hermione's research for S.P.E.W., she had discovered that without being bonded to a Wizard or a magical location (like Hogwarts) they would die. So instead of freeing them, what was necessary was to actually make wizards treat them better. Regardless...

Some time after lunch, Helena had to use the bathroom. When she had indicated it, and started moving out of the bed, James had almost frantically insist that he should help her. If he hadn't been so adamant about she being his sister, and having been so protective of her in regards to Sirius, Helena might've thought that he had an ulterior motive. As it was, he just wanted to help. But Helena wasn't some damsel in distress (_hellooo,_ vanquisher of a Dark Lord), and had pinned him down with a glare. Sirius had snickered at that, until the glare was aimed towards him.

Walking to the bathroom a few doors down the hall, Helena got a little taste of the Potter manor. Just like her room, the overall theme was red and gold. Gryffindor colours. Though, instead of only the scarlet red that made up half the Gryffindor crest, there was varied shades, some almost black, to break it up and make it bearable. Expensive tables with crystalline and goblin-made knickknacks stood here and there, and the walls were full of paintings. Even the bathroom was grand, though being pure white and blue instead of red and gold.

Helena had taken her time walking back to her room, wanting to take everything, when a great crash sounded from her destination. Helena's war instincts kicked in. Ignoring her aching body, she tightened her grip on her wand (no, if she could help it, she wasn't separated from it) and ran the last dozen feet to the room.

Opened the door, magic running quickly through her system and ready to form any spell, Helena froze at the sight. James and Sirius sat looking wide-eyed at the floor, which was now filled with books, clothes, personal items, and most of all, a whole lot of Galleons. They looked up at her as she entered, and she narrowed her eyes into a glare – and not to the playful glare she had used on the boys moments earlier – when she saw her beaded bag in Sirius's hands. It was clear what had happened: he had gotten bored and curious, and had decided to see what was in her bag. Clearly he hadn't expected it to have an Undetectable Extension Charm cast upon it, or else he wouldn't just have turned it upside down.

"I... I..." Sirius tried.

"Helena..." James started carefully, glancing around the room. "Why do you have all this in your bag?"

"Well, obviously I don't have it in my bag anymore," I snapped annoyed.

"Sorry," Sirius apologised. She looked at him, and seeing that he was in fact sorry, she sighed and deflated of her anger.

"It's alright," she sighed. "You couldn't have known." Before the boys could do or say anything else, she twirled her wand. The beaded bag flew out of Sirius's hands, making him yelp, and together with all of her items began flying through the room. It was kind of beautiful, in a strange way. Watching as item after item got swallowed up by the small bag, was kind of like seeing a ballet. Mind you, Helena hadn't actually ever seen a real ballet, but she imagined it would look kind of like this.

"Wow..." James said, clearly impressed. "Was that nonverbally?"

"Of course," Helena answered, sounding confused.

Sirius looked apprehensive. "Won't you get a letter from the Ministry now? Hello, underage magic."

"Hello, I'm a witch of age," I rolled my eyes and got back into bed. "I turn eighteen the thirty-first."

"But you said you were starting Sixth Year?" James sounded confused.

"My magical education got delayed," Helena told them, trying to sound slightly distraught. "Just before I was going to attend, I was infected by Magus Infesticia." James face drained of all colour. Sirius just looked confused.

"By what now?" Sirius asked.

"Magus Infesticia," James explained, gulping down. "They're parasites that feed on wizards' and witches' magical cores. They're incredibly difficult to get rid of, and deadly if you don't get rid of them." He looked over at Sirius. "It was Magus Infesticia that killed mum and dad's first child."

Sirius eyes widened before quickly turning to Helena. "But you are okay now?"

"Of course," Helena smiled, touched by his concern. "It took some time, but I got rid of every last one of those buggers."

"So..." James started after she had gotten comfortable in the bed. "Why _do_ you have all those things in your bag? And, by the way, it's enchanted brilliantly."

"Oh, it wasn't me who spelled it, it was Hermione-" Helena started, before freezing mid-sentence. Again sorrow at never seeing her best friend again hit her like a giant with a club. "It was Hermione, she said in a whisper.

Sirius and James sobered up, quickly discerning what had happened. Or what they thought had happened. After all, her family had been killed by Death Eaters.

Helena took a deep breath. "I... I was on the run for a while." That much was true. "I didn't know how long I would be, but if I stopped... The Death Eaters weren't far behind. Having everything in my bag was convenient."

It was the truth. Though, the gold had only been put in there after the War had concluded. Breaking into Gringotts didn't exactly put one into good graces with the Goblin Nation, especially when you were successful. Helena supposed that she should just be grateful that she was allowed to withdraw all of her money and heirlooms. She had put it in a special pouch inside her bag, but... It shouldn't have been able to be opened by anyone but her. Clearly travelling back in time, or whatever, had messed up some of the enchantments she had put on it after Hermione had gifted it to her. She would have to look into that.

"But I thought you were captured by the Death Munchers?" Sirius asked. Not a second later did James punch him. Hard. Clearly this time it wasn't in a jokingly manner. "What is your proble- Oh. Sorry."

"I _was_ captured by the Death Eaters," Helena said, shuddering. Memories of Malfoy Manor came rushing in. Hearing Hermione's screams. Dobby's death.

Helena didn't realize that she had been trying to fall into herself before James had put an arm around her, squeezing her lightly.

"Hey, it's okay Helena," he told her softly."You're safe here. No one will get to you. I promise." She managed to give him a smile. Being so close Helena realized he smelled like spices and Christmas. It made her feel safe... It was familiar. Maybe she remembered the smell from when she was a baby?

"Yeah, if they want to touch you, they have to get through us first!" Sirius nodded determinedly. Helena gave a small smile to him as well.

"Thank you," she told them. Then she turned a bit fierce. "But don't expect me to let you do all the work. I have a wicked wand arm, and no one can beat me at Transfiguration." Yeah, there was that tiny bit of arrogance.

"Ohoho, is that so," James said challengingly. "You think you are better at Transfiguration than me? I would have you know that it is my best subject."

"I don't think so, I know so," Helena told him with a grin.

"Prove it."

She grinned wickedly at him. Using her metamorphmagus abilities, she changed, and a second later she was the spitting image of James.

"Buh."

"Whoa!" James said surprised, falling down from the bed in the process. Sirius grinned victoriously, and jumped back to his seat. James sat up, and when he saw Sirius, he pouted. "Aww, that is no fair."

"If you snooze you lose, Prongsie," Sirius told him nonchalantly. Helena laughed, turning back into herself. Sirius looked impressed at her. "How'd you do that? You didn't use your wand, and isn't human Transfiguration N.E.W.T.-level spell-work?"

Before Helena could answer, James gasped. "No way. Are you a metamorphmagus?"

"I sure am," Helena said proudly.

"Oooh," James said, and sat down at his original seat. "Minnie taught us about them – about you – last year. I think there even was a question about metamorphmagi on the written Transfiguration O.W.L."

"Calm down, Prong, you're starting to sound like Moony," Sirius laughed. He turned to Helena, "You know, I got a little cousin who is also a metamorphmagus by the name of Nymphadora. She is five." Helena peaked up at that, and got comfortable as Sirius started talking about his favourite cousin. She had adored Nymphadore, and the two of them had bonded quickly due to both of them being 'changelings'. Hopefully she would get to know her in this time(line) as well.

~ Helichrysa Dorea Potter ~

"My, you certainly are a Potter," Charlus Potter greeted her with a smile as she entered the dining room after the boys. "You must be Miss Helena. I'm Charlus Potter. You can call me Charlus or Uncle Charlus. Whichever you prefer."

Charlus Potter was elderly like his wife. Wrinkles decorated his clearly handsome features, and white hair hung to his chin. James must've gotten his bad eyesight along with his eyes from his father, because Charlus, too, had glasses.

"Uncle Charlus it is, then," Helena smiled as he walked to him a shook his hand. "Please just call me Helena. Thank you for taking me in."

"Of course, dear," Charlus smiled. "You're family, after all. I'm sad to hear about the rest of your family, because I would've have loved to get into contact with them. A falling out several generations ago shouldn't keep us apart, you know. But it isn't to be, sadly. I'm glad that you are here, though."

"Thank you, sir," Helena smiled sadly, his small speech making her remember the people she had left behind.

"Hey, dad! You'll never guess," James said from his seat across the table form his father. "Helena's at metamorphmagus! Just like Nymphadora."

Sirius snickered. "Don't let her hear you call her by her name. She has grown to hate it."

Helena snorted. "Can't imagine why."

"What was that?"

"Nothing."

Charlus turned to Helena with a gleam in his eyes. "Really? A metamorphmagus?"

"Yes, sir," she answered, quickly flashing her through a myriad of colours. She took her seat besides James and where Dorea would sit.

"Well, I'll be," Charlus said with little wonder in his voice. "You wouldn't necessarily want to become an Auror after Hogwarts?"

With all the fighting she had done already in her life? No. She might like duelling, but that was perhaps also because of her arrogance. She was good at it.

"I'm afraid not," Helena smiled. "I would really like to teach after I'm done with school. Preferably Transfiguration."

"Really, now?" Charlus asked, looking truly interested. James and Sirius, too, stopped their small banter at the new information.

"Yes," Helena nodded. "Though I don't know where, yet." Hogwarts. It would always be Hogwarts she would want to teach. Though, in this time she might need to do something else until a position opened and she was deemed old enough to teach. Perhaps Quidditch could be a possible career until then?

"I must say that I'm surprise to discover that you're a metamorphmagus. There aren't a lot of you, after all," Charlus chatted with her. "People are lucky if they bump into one of your kind, let alone know one. And here we are, knowing you and little Nymmie."

Helena blushed, but was saved from having to answer by Dorea.

"Charlus, don't embarrass the girl," she said as she walked in with the supper. Two house elves walked happily after her, each floating a tray of food by themselves. Helena got lost in the smell for a moment. It was delicious.

"Sorry, my Dorea," Charlus chuckled.

Dorea put the food on the table. It looked to be some sort of roast, though Helena didn't know what kind – though she didn't doubt for a second that Ron would've know. The small grin that had been on her face soon morphed in a grimace of sorrow. She took a deep breath and hid it away.

"This smells delicious," she said aloud, not to anyone particularly.

"Oh, thank you," Dorea smiled.

Helena looked up in surprise. "You made this? But I thought the house elves..."

"Dorea here likes to make the supper herself," Charlus explained. "As far as I remember, it started out as a rebellion against the Blacks."

"Ah, so you haven't gone completely senile yet? It's good to know: I have a few more years before I need to help you dress," it came from Dorea, mirth shining from her eyes. It made Charlus laugh out loud. Dorea turned to Helena. "It did start out as rebellion against the Blacks. I never liked their arrogant and all too posh traditions, not to mention the horrible ways they treated their elves. By now, making the supper has become a habit more than anything else. I quite enjoy it."

"The house elves still makes breakfast and lunch," James explained as he started filling frizzled potatoes onto his plate.

"And they do help with by fetching different objects and ingredients," Dorea admitted. "They love helping, so how could I completely deny them the opportunity of making any supper at all."

The food was delicious. While Helena wasn't anywhere near as much of a food-lover as Ron was, and she would be surprised if she ever met someone who was, the metamorphmagus had developed an appreciation for well-made food during the time she was on the run. Dorea really was an excellent cook, almost as good as the Hogwarts house elves.

The banter flew easily over the dinner table, though Helena was more silent than not. While she felt incredibly welcome sitting at the table, it was still slightly weird for her. So she sat listening instead.

Charlus worked at the Ministry of Magic in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. She hadn't caught the precise position, but it was something akin to a liaison between the Auror office and the Head of DMLE. He had tried to keep the chatting light, but she could see from his face that it couldn't be easy. The Aurors were, after all, fighting the Death Eaters.

Dorea worked as a Healer at Saint Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries. She was one of the matrons at the department that took care of children, and she seemed to truly love it. It was understandable, as Dorea loved children for obvious reasons. While she was kept away from brunt of the Death Eater victims, it sadly wasn't rare for children to fall victim as well. When they did, they were lucky to have a Healer like Dorea watching out for them, Helena thought.

"I hope the boys didn't bore you too much today," Dorea said to her suddenly.

"Oi!" it came from James and Sirius simultaneously.

Helena chuckled at the boys. "No, they haven't. To be honest, if anyone should be bored, it should be them. It seemed that we mostly talked. And from what they say, talking is one of the first steps to become..." she lowered her voice conspicuously, "a girl."

Charlus roared with laughed and Dorea chuckled. They clearly had seen Sirius and James act before.

"We made an exception," Sirius said. "You're all right, Helena."

"Thanks," she smiled.

"And we didn't speak _all_ day," James argued. "We brought in a Wizarding Chess Board in the afternoon."

"I think you were the only one who enjoyed that," Helena said dryly.

"And too much, I might add," Sirius agreed.

James was wicked good at Wizarding Chess. And, you know, regular chess. He was very much like Ron in that regard. It was like he could anticipate his opponents next seven moves, and moved his pieces so that they didn't even get to move three. He had, of course, slaughtered Helena within five minutes. But Helena had grown used to it, as she had played regularly with Ron. Sirius lasted a bit longer, but Helena wasn't sure if it was because he was good at chess, or because he was used to James's play.

"I can hear you haven't lost your touch, son," Charlus chuckled. He looked at Helena. "He has always been a genius at chess. I taught him when he was four, I think, and I doubt he has lost more than a handful games since then."

"One of my friends were like that. His name was Ron," she told them, not noticing them stopping what they were doing. "I would argue that he could give James a run for his money. He was the sixth son of seven children, so there wasn't much he was the first or best at. But Wizarding Chess was one of those things."

"He sounds like someone I would've liked to know," James said.

Helena smiled. "I think he would've liked to know you as well."

A sombre atmosphere spread among them, and they smiled sadly at Helena. Helena was grateful that she didn't cry, as she seemed to be more prone to ever since she arrived here. But just because she didn't cry, didn't mean she wasn't sad.

"Hey," Sirius said, changing the subject. "Did you know Helena plays Quidditch? She's a Seeker!" he told the senior Potters.

"Really?" Dorea asked surprised.

"Yeah," James nodded. "And she likes Puddlemere United as well!"

"Who suck," Sirius coughed, as he had done earlier that day. Though, he left out 'troll balls', most likely because he was in the presence of Dorea and Charlus.

James shot him a dirty look.

"You're a Seeker?" Charlus asked.

"I am," Helena nodded. "And though I do like Quidditch, it's more the flying part that really gets me."

"Blasphemy," James spat. "Quidditch is _everything_." Yeah, James was a bit of a Quidditch fanatic. Much more than Ron was. He kind of reminded Helena of Oliver Wood in that regard.

"Yeah, yeah, we know," Sirius rolled his eyes. James ignored him.

"I really do hope you get into Gryffindor, if you are as good as you say you are," James said, more serious than he was before. "We're a Seeker short on the Gryffindor Quidditch team, since Jane Histhogger graduated last year."

"Truly?" Helena asked. That was new information. "Well, that is just one more reason to get into Gryffindor then."

"As if being in the same House as me isn't good enough of a reason already," Sirius said arrogantly.

"It doesn't seem like you care _what_ House your victims are in, Padfoot," Sirius rolled his eyes. "And I already told you to stay away from my sister."

"Don't worry, James," Helena grinned. "If he tries anything, I assure you I know some very specific hexes to make him wish he was born a girl."

Sirius eyes widened dramatically as the rest of the table laughed. "All right, all right, I'll stay away. Jeez, you're not afraid at playing rough, huh?"

"Why should I be?" Helena shrugged.

It wasn't long before the dinner was consumed. As Helena rose from the seat along with the rest of the family, she frowned at her aching muscles. It seemed like she wasn't completely recovered, and most likely wouldn't be for a few days. She sighed. She _really_ hated being bedridden.

Sirius and James had talked about going flying after supper, but had stopped when they had realized Helena couldn't come with. She had assured them that it was all right: they had kept her company for the entirety of the day. Besides, she wouldn't mind some time alone, where she just read – and she needed to see if any other charms had failed on her bag. So that was what she did that evening.

As she fell asleep that night, her lips wouldn't stop smiling. It was a right mess she had been cast into, when all she wanted to do was write an essay for extra credit. But then again, she _was_ Helena Potter. But even if it was a mess, it wasn't all bad.

She had a family here.


	3. Family

**Disclaimer:** I do not own anything of Harry Potter. Everything is owned by the amazing Joanne Rowling. I have merely taken the liberty of playing with her amazing work.

**Author's Notes:** Thank you for all the support so far. Hopefully I can keep it up and keep you satisfied – though, don't expect a new 7k-ish word chapter every few days. My plan is to _at least_ uploading a chapter once a week.

I would like to point out that a few events in the start of the story is inspired by _Flying High_ by . . It's a time travel story, also, but a Hermione/Sirius one. It's incredible, and you should really read it if you enjoy this sort of story. Though, I should warn that it is unfinished and hasn't been updated in a few years. Regardless, the 141k words which are already written is well worth it in my opinion.

Anyway, what I would ask, if anyone has read the other story, if you think events are becoming too similar, PM or something and I will try to deviate a bit more. It isn't to say that this entire story is written from reading _Flying High_, only some events here at the start.

Now, enjoy the next chapter. :)

**The Jump**

**Chapter Three:** Family

~ Helichrysa Dorea Potter ~

Merlin that Jump had messed her up. Helena could imagine why it would look to observers like people were destroyed when they made a Jump. Seriously, by Godric's Twice-Blessed Mother, she had been under the freaking Cruciatus Curse, one of the strongest kinds that could be cast, and she had been out of bed in four days (though, she still, to this day, had to suffer the after effects of Tom's curse from time to time). So it should be understandable that she was going seriously stir crazy after mainly being kept in bed for six days. Dorea had at least allowed her to get out of bed on the sixth day, but only to sit in the maroon armchair in her room. It was because of this that Helena was elated when Dorea entered her room on the seventh day and informed her that they were going shopping.

"Seriously?" Helena asked, a smile spreading on her face. "No more staying in bed all day? No more ban on straining my magic? No more forced chess matches with James?"

"No, dear, none of that anymore," Dorea chuckled. "Though, I would think that James will still pester you with chess."

"Oh well, I can't expect to have everything served on a silver platter, can I now?" Helena asked rhetorically.

"I imagine not," Dorea agreed.

"Will James and Sirius be coming with us?" Helena asked as she got out of bed.

"Heavens, no. They'll only spoil out fun. Begging us to get out of bookstores as soon as we have taken a step inside, and dragging us to Quidditch stores," Dorea said with a roll of her eyes. "Though, I imagine you wouldn't be completely against the latter."

"Perhaps not," Helena gave. "Though, I do have a tolerance for how long I can admire and fawn at the latest models of broomsticks."

Dorea nodded. "Now, if we want to get going before the boys get up, we need to get going soon. Go wash up and get dressed, and then we'll Floo in a jiffy. And don't worry about breakfast – I thought we could eat at one of the cafés."

"Why not just apparate?" Helena asked.

"You might have had a license in your time, but you haven't got any here," Dorea told her with a frown. "Besides, I still don't want you to strain your magic way too much. It's fine that you swish your wand now and then, but apparation is a whole other thing."

Eager to get going and do something other than reading, talking, and playing chess, Helena was quickly done in the bathroom. It took a bit longer to get dressed, as most of the muggle clothes she had was clearly from the nineties (not that people here actually knew that, or that most Wizards would notice). In the end she dressed in her blue denim jeans, a flowing green shirt that matched her eyes, and had tied her hair up in a high ponytail.

As Helena and Dorea had Flooed to the Leaky Cauldron, the metamorphmagus was reminded of why she hated that form of transportation so much. It turned her stomach in ways that not even apparation did. Regardless, the unpleasant seconds couldn't ruin her good mood, and as the two witches walked into Diagon Alley, Helena felt all the awe that she did the first time she had gone there… fifteen years from now.

It wasn't really a surprise that many of the same stores was open in this time as well. Flourish and Blotts was as busy as it had always been, people entering and exiting with their arms full of books. Quality Quidditch Supplies had a crowd of teenagers and young adults admiring the latest broom in the display windows, as they argued over which Quidditch team were the better. And even the Magical Menagerie had a fair amount of customers despite the early hour, and smelt just as terrible as Helena remembered.

What surprised her was how many _additional_ shops which laid just on the main streets, and the amount of stalls were staggering compared to what she was used to. She had heard of how many shops had closed down during the top of Tom's reign of terror, but she hadn't really could imagine just how much of its splendour Diagon Alley had lost. It was clear now. If she could help it, she would try to prevent that from happening here. Of course, it was far from top priority (as terrible as Helena felt for prioritizing peoples' lives), but it was something worth fighting for.

As they walked up the steps to Gringotts Bank, Helena felt the nervousness she had begun feeling when approaching the bank after… you know… breaking into it and stuff. The Goblins had seriously begun glaring and sneering at her, and she was rather sure one had even hissed at her. As was well known, Goblins didn't care for Wizarding affairs, so they didn't give a damn she broke into to steal something so she could eventually kill Tom. All they cared about was her breaking their record of never having anything stolen. But as she approached, the Goblin guards were indifferent towards her and Dorea, staring blankly out in the air.

The reason they were at the Bank, was that Helena wished to open a new Vault. Her Vault. It wasn't exactly smart to walk around with who know how many millions of Galleons in her purse. Even if others couldn't get to it (she had made sure all the Charms were in perfect conditions), if someone stole her purse, she couldn't get to it either.

As they entered the large marble hall, Dorea stayed back. She insisted that this was a private matter between Helena and Gringotts. Helena seriously didn't mind if Dorea would join them, but it would lower the Goblins' perception of her. That in turn would only make it more difficult, since they wouldn't respect a witch who could only handle bank business with her aunt in tow.

"Excuse me," Helena asked after she had approached one of the desks. The Goblin behind it breathed out through his nose in an annoyed manner, but looked up. "I would like to open a Vault."

"Temporary Vaults are handled by desk fourteen," the Goblin answered in a monotone voice. That said, Helena could hear the underlying annoyance in his voice, most likely springing from being unnecessarily interrupted.

Temporary Vaults were the most common Vaults opened for young wizards and witches. They were some of the uppermost Vaults, and were easily replaced. As the name suggested, they were temporary, until the wizard or witch in question upgraded to a Family Vault when their fortune had grown enough to make up for the increased cost.

"I'm not here to open a Temporary Vault," Helena told him. "I'm here to open a Family Vault."

The Goblin who had been about to continue his writing froze momentarily. Lifting his quill from the parchment, her looked up again.

"Young lady, Family Vaults are only for customers who plan to store their fortunes for multiple generations," the Goblin told her, not hiding his annoyance anymore. "I suggest that you go to desk fourteen, and stop wasting my time."

Helena frowned.

"I am here to open a Family Vault," Helena repeated, this time more firmly. The Goblin looked her intimidating in the eyes. Helena didn't waver, as that would be seen as weakness by the Goblins. "Look, if you _honestly_ still gauge my visit as a waste of the Goblin Nation's time after you see what I have to offer, then I'll gladly pay you a fee of your choice."

That got the Goblin's attention. He could in principle, 'gauge' her fortune as insufficient and such a waste of the Goblin Nation's time, and fee her for several thousand Galleons. But given how great her fortune was, and how many heirlooms she was carrying, it would be in their best interest to let her open a Family Vault. And Helena was confident that they wouldn't ask questions of where she had gotten it, not when they could easily see that it weren't artificial Galleons.

Again, Goblins didn't care for Wizarding affairs. They only cared for how much wealth they could get their hands on.

"Very well," the Goblin finally conceded. "If you will follow me, I will take you to a Goblin who will become your account manager."

It was safe to say, that even without knowing the exact amount, her new account manager had approved of her opening a Family Vault. The look on his face was priceless, as he realized that he has just become the manager of one of the richest fortunes in the Bank. There was some accounts which were even greater, but she had just deposited the fortune of a Noble and Most Ancient family. She had kept around a hundred Galleons and five hundred pound on her person (a fortune in its own for some, but just change in comparison to what Helena had), and handed over the purse (after dispelling the charm that kept anyone else from opening it) to the manager. It would take some time for them to count all her Galleons up, so she would need to come back. She would do that when she needed to buy school supplies.

It was forty-five minutes after having separated from Dorea that the two exited the Bank together. By then Helena was absolutely famished, and Dorea brought them to Cram's Cravings, a café which didn't exist in the nineties.

"Ah, Mrs Potter!" a female voice sounded just as Dorea and Helena had sat down. It was one of the waitresses. The witch had to be around Helena's age, and was rather pretty. Her hair was a dirty blonde which was cut in a pixie cut, and her cheeks were still a bit round, but it looked to be a bit of lingering puppy fat than anything else.

"Hello Emmeline," Dorea greeted with a smile. "My, how you have grown! I hope your parents are well?"

"Of course," the waitress, Emmeline nodded. "Pa's busy with the business and Ma's as an unstoppable force as she's always been."

"It's good to hear," Dorea laughed. She turned to Helena. "This is Emmeline Vance. She's in the same year as James and Sirius at Hogwarts. Emmeline, this is Helena Potter. She will be enrolling in your year at Hogwarts this September."

Helena startled in surprise. That was Emmeline Vance? Yes… Helena could recognize her now. Twenty years older, longer hair which had been coloured reddish brown, and her face devoid of any puppy fat. She had been a member of the First and Second Order of the Phoenix, and had been part of the Advanced Guard who had retrieved Helena to Grimmauld Place in the summer before her Fifth Year. She had died not long after Tom's return had been recognized by the Ministry. Moody had lamented (all right, gruffly bit out) that she was a great loss to the Order

"Really?" Emmeline asked in surprise. "Hogwarts doesn't get a lot of transfer students."

"Yeah, well…" Helena said embarrassed. "I'm there on some extenuating circumstances. I went to a smaller magic school here in England, but my family…" Helena trailed off, and Emmeline seemed to catch the drift. She looked in sympathy at Helena, but the metamorphmagus could also see something else in the witch's eyes. Anger. It was probably that which would push her to join the Order after she graduated in little under than two years.

"I'm sorry to hear that," Emmeline gave a sad smile. "I take it that you live with the Potters now, then?"

"She does," Dorea nodded. "We're related some generations back, but our branches lost touch with each other."

"I see." Emmeline then shook her head. "I really shouldn't be here chatting. The supervisor has already been after been because of that. So, ladies, what would you have this fine morning?"

The breakfast turned brunch had been grand. The two witches had sat at the café for well over an hour, talking about nothing in general and simply enjoying the atmosphere of the Alley. It was nothing like Helena had ever done before.

After the café, Helena had led them straight to Flourish and Blotts. While she wasn't as much as a bookworm as Hermione (meant in the best way possible), Helena did love to read. In the summers between her years at Hogwarts, Helena would spend most of her days at the local library reading. It wasn't magical books, but the tales that muggle wrote had a magic all in itself. So while Helena didn't love books as much as Hermione, she still cared for them loads. She and Dorea had spend almost two-and-a-half hours before they were finished browsing. Helena had found several interesting books, including _Bringing Out The Beast_ and _An Animated Guide to Your Animal Self_ among others, which described the process of how to become an animagus. She wasn't exactly sure that she could _become_ one, given that she was metamorphmagus, but nowhere had she read that she _couldn't_ become one. There was so damn little knowledge on metamorphmagus that it was frustrating.

After Flourish and Blotts it had been Dorea who had dragged Helena to a store. Twilfitt and Tatting's. That store was still in business in the nineties, but Helena had never entered. It was a clothing store, much like Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions, only it was by far more fancy, with clothing of higher quality and extreme prices. Helena who had grown up with the Dursleys couldn't get herself to buy clothes from there when the ones from Madam Malkin's were more than sufficient. She had gotten even more reasons not to enter the store after she had befriended Ron, who had the sad habit of becoming jealous of her wealth. So she tried not to flaunt it.

It was safe to say that Helena had been reluctant, but Dorea had been insistent. She had told the metamorphmagus sternly that if she wanted to spoil her rotten, then she was damn well going to spoil her. Seeing that Helena couldn't talk her aunt out of it, she sighed and complied. After all, she did need clothes that didn't stand out as much as the clothes she had brought back from the nineties did. Despite the popular belief, Wizarding fashion didn't stay stagnant, but changed just as much as muggle fashion. The only difference was that Wizarding clothes were more modest.

As they exited after a gruelling ninety minutes, Helena had to admit that she would be lying if she told anyone that she didn't like the clothes she got. Hopefully that shopping spree would satisfy Dorea for some time.

The last shop the two entered before exiting into Muggle London to buy her Muggle clothes was Quality Quidditch Supplies. Helena didn't buy anything, but used half an hour browsing the goods. She would have to buy a broom before going to Hogwarts, seeing as her Firebolt (which she had bought as soon as the War had ended) was stuck in the shed by the Quidditch pitch in the future. But that could wait until they would return to Diagon Alley to buy school supplies, after James, Sirius, and she had gotten their supply list by owl.

~ Helichrysa Dorea Potter ~

When Dorea and Helena finally returned to Potter Manor, Helena was exhausted. But in a good way. After lying a week in bed, it had been good to be able to move around and breathe fresh air. And despite being a day full of shopping, which wasn't really Helena's favourite pastime activity, this was one f the most fun days she had ever had.

"BOYS!" the elderly witch suddenly screamed as the flames had returned to their normal orange colour after them. Helena clapped her hands over her ears, making Dorea chuckle. It seemed that it wasn't only Dorea's name Helena had inherited, but also her lungs. "COME DOWN RIGHT THIS INSTANT AND HELP HELENA AND I CARRY THESE BAGS!"

"DO IT YOURSELF!" James's voice screamed from the other end of the house. Evidentially Dorea's lungs hadn't skipped a generation.

"JAMES CHARLUS POTTER-"

"ALL RIGHT, WOMAN, WE'RE COMING!"

"Aunt Dorea," Helena said after the screaming stopped. "I can just use magic to get it to my room. It's no trouble."

"Shush, you," Dorea chuckled. "I can only make the boys do anything without magic for another year. Don't take my fun away."

Yes, Dorea certainly was a Black by birth. She, too, had a sadistic streak in her.

It wasn't a surprise that a snickering Sirius was the first one down the stairs. No matter what he insisted (which he did each time anyone pointed it out), Sirius wasn't chuckling, he was snickering. He was as always followed closely by a grinning James. Helena didn't think she had seen the two boys apart yet. It wouldn't at all surprise her if they went to the lavatory together like a bunch of giggling preschool girls. The next person coming down the stairs made her breath hitch, however. A young Remus Lupin with a lightness around him that Helena had never seen before descended the stairs behind his two dark-haired friends, and in tow was a sixteen year old Peter Pettigrew.

Helena had never seen Remus like he was there. He wasn't burdened yet by a decade of discrimination due to him being a werewolf, and that without the support of his friends. Not even when he had been with Tonks had he been this happy, this at ease. Not even close. He was just so... young. The hair which had been a greying light brown in her town was a refreshing ginger (though not like the Weasleys) and she couldn't spot a single grey streak in it. He wore torn knee skinny jeans, military combat boots, and a sleeveless Dark Unicorns (a Wizarding Rock band) shirt. His wild outfit contrasted strongly against his soft smile. No matter what decade you were in, it would seem that Remus was the same in that regard.

Peter Pettigrew wasn't at all the same as she remembered him from the nineties. That had most likely something to do with not having lived thirteen years as a rat. Instead of having taken on some rodent features which his future self had, Peter Pettigrew looked like any other teenage boy. While Helena wouldn't describe him as handsome as any of his three friends (and especially not Sirius), he wasn't ugly. He had mousy brown hair which was cut short, making him the only of the four Marauders not to have hair to at least his ears. Hi body was slightly on the chubby side, but he wasn't far. He was wearing low-rise bell bottoms, platform shoes, and a chequered vest. Overall, he just had a happy demeanour.

As the four boys stood at the bottom of the stairs, Sirius pinched Peter in some of his puppy fat, making him scream loudly. Dorea clearly hadn't seen Sirius do it, because her mild wrath was aimed at Peter.

"Peter Cairn Pettigrew, what have I told you about screaming in the Manor?" Dorea scolded. From behind her, Helena shot her a deadpanned and disbelieving look. It wasn't more than a few moments ago that she had shouted through half the Manor.

"That I shouldn't since it scares the elves..." Peter admitted as he shot a dirty look at Sirius, who was snickering harder now.

Helena's heart was beating a hundred miles an hour. She had gotten used to seeing James and Sirius around, and _not_ think about their dead future selves. She had _just_ gotten used to having them around. She had not been prepared to seeing teenage Remus and Pettigrew. Whereas the former brought great sorrow to the forefront of her mind, Pettigrew's smiling face brought white-hot fury.

Besides Tom, Pettigrew was the reason why her life had been hell. She would even dare say that Pettigrew was the reason why Tom could've made her life hell. If he hadn't betrayed her parents, then Tom wouldn't have been able to come after her. Pettigrew was the reason why her parents were dead, he was the reason why Sirius had spent twelve long years in Azkaban, he was the reason why Remus was alone for just as long, thinking his best friend had betrayed him. It must've been especially hard for Remus, as he had _forgiven_ Sirius when he had tricked Snape to visit the Shrieking Shack on a full moon. He had _forgiven_ him for something that would've made him a murderer... only to 'discover' that he had betrayed James and Lily, causing their deaths.

She grabbed her wand tighter. Oh, she had never been so close at casting Avada Kedavra. But... She couldn't. She deflated. This wasn't the Pettigrew who had betrayed her parents. He wasn't the Pettigrew who had revived Tom. This was a sixteen year old boy who was having fun with his friends. There even was a chance than in this timeline, even without her interference, he would never betray James and Lily.

Suddenly she felt very tired.

"Are you all right?" James asked in concern. Helena looked up at him, breaking her (hopefully) subtle observation of the two new boys.

"I'm fine," Helena gave a tired smile. "Just exhausted. It's been a long day."

"Oh, okay."

"James, don't just stand there," Dorea berated. "Help her with the bags."

James rolled his eyes, before taking some of the bogs. "Bloody hell, what have you in there? Did you rob the Quidditch store of Quaffles?"

"Now, dear Jamie, it is you who is the Chaser, not I," Helena grinned, ignoring the look he was giving her at the name only Dorea called him. "I would've bought Golden Snitches if was to buy anything."

Sirius laughed loudly at that, making James glare at him. A second later several bags was shoved into the arms of the dog animagus, making him stumble back. This in turn made James grin.

"Come on, Padfoot," he said. "Aren't all Pureblood bigot families raised to be chivalrous. So go chiv... Chiva... Chivelling away!"

"Chivelling isn't a word, James," Helena told him.

"Oi, do you want help with your bags or not?"

Helena rolled her eyes as James shoved a few more bags into Sirius's hands and grabbed a handful himself, before the two walked up the stairs. Even with their hands full of bags the two kidded around. Good thing she had cast a cushioning charm on the bags with the books.

"Hello," Remus voice greeted her. Her eyes snapped to his. "I'm Remus Lupin. You must be Helena. James and Sirius has told a lot about you."

"It's a pleasure to meet you," Helena replied with a smile, steeling her nerves. "So I take it you are Moony or Wormtail?"

Remus eyes widened comically. "You know?"

"Well, the names aren't exactly a secret when you keep using them in front of others," Helena laughed with a roll of her eyes.

Remus relaxed. It was clear he had thought she knew about him being a werewolf. Which she did. He didn't need to know that, however. Hopefully sometime in the future he would trust her with his secret, but she was ready for it to be on his terms.

"Right," Remus chuckled. "I hope James and Sirius hasn't given you too hard of a time. They can be an acquired taste."

"No, they are great," Helena said with a smile. "Really. James is already acting like an overprotective brother, and Sirius... well, frankly he seems like a man-whore, but a funny one at that."

"That sounds like them," the werewolf laughed. He looked over his shoulder, "Peter, come meet Helena."

The shorter boy walked timidly over to them. "I'm Peter."

Helena tensed up. Just because she admitted to herself that this boy wasn't the Peter Pettigrew she knew, didn't mean she would magically get over her issues.

"Helena," the metamorphmagus presented herself tersely. Dorea glanced at her with sympathy. She, after all, knew of what Pettigrew had done in Helena's time. But, as the elderly witch had said multiple times to her, the people she had come to know here, wasn't the people she had left behind. That said, Dorea seemed understandable towards Helena's reaction, and saved her from becoming too awkward.

"While James is lovely and acting like a great brother, I would remind you that both he and Sirius are sixteen year old boys," Dorea said almost nonchalantly. That was however betrayed by her mouth twitching in amusement.

It took a second for Helena to get where she was going with it.

"No!" Helena said in horror. Remus was blushing hard, while Pettigrew stood without a clue as to what was going on. Good, the less people who knew, the better. As the horror bled away, it made room for anger. She bolted up the stairs, vaguely aware of her hair changing to a scarlet red.

"-ous! We really shouldn't be looking," James voice sounded from inside the room.

"I know she's your sister, but you can't deny that she is hot," Sirius responded to whatever James had said.

Helena halted.

Sirius thought she was hot? It wasn't a foreign concept for her. Fred had said it to her in a much more... intimate way (no, not physical), and Seamus had tried to get into her pants since Fifth Year, which had been the cause for the hexes Helena had thrown his way. But Sirius? If she thought it as her godfather saying it, she shuddered in disgust. But that it was the Sirius who was in her room at the moment that said it... she felt it far more pleasing than she should have.

"She. Is. My. Sister," James repeated. "I can't think of her as hot. Now, stop looking through her things!"

Helena narrowed her eyes again, and she barged in the door. Horror welled up inside of her as she watched what the two, now frozen, boys were doing. James looked to have frantically trying for Sirius to stop what he was doing, and Sirius... He was holding a pair of lacy deep purple bras over his head. As he saw Helena, he dropped them on top of his head. If it _hadn't_ been her bra, it _might_ have been fun.

She stomped over and snapped her bra back. The action seemed to unfreeze them, as Sirius threw her a grin.

"Lacy, huh?" he said gaily. "Nice!"

James hid his face in his palm. Evidentially this wasn't the first time something like this had happened, and he knew what was coming next.

"You absolute horrid _pervert_!" Helena accused him loudly. It did nothing to faze Sirius. In fact he seemed _proud_ of what he had done. Helena grabbed her wand and pointed it at him. "Avis Oppugno!"

Two dozen colourful small canaries were conjured from the tip of her wand with a blast and smoke. The birds didn't hesitate at attacking the grinning boy. The moment Sirius figured out what was going on, he screamed up like a little girl, just in time for Remus and Peter see as they entered the room.

"Argh! Not the hair! Not the face!" Sirius tried getting away from the birds, but they followed him. "All right, I'm sorry! I won't look at your hot undergarments anymore!"

Remus snickered. "So much for being raised to act chivalrously."

"Please! Stop them!"

With a flick of her wand, the birds disappeared. Helena walked over to where Sirius was lying on the ground, trying to shield his face. She crossed her arms and looked down at him with a glare. Sensing that he wasn't under attack anymore, Sirius looked up. He gulped as he saw Helena.

"I'm sorry, okay?" Sirius said exasperated. "Geez, you're almost as bad as Evans."

Helena breathed out through her nose in an annoyed manner. "Pervert." Casting a silent Accio to get the rest of her bags up, ignoring the impressed look she got from Remus, she started packing her clothes away in the closet.

James walked over to Sirius and helped him up with a sigh. Looking very much like Helena had a moment before, he asked. "So, Paddy, what have we learned today?"

"Not to peek at Helena's undergarments when she's around." Helena shot him a glare, and Sirius rolled his eyes. "_Fine_. Not to peek at Helena's undergarments somewhere where she can find out."

"Padfoot, you're never going to find a girlfriend if you keep acting like that," Remus sighed. "Need any help?" he asked Helena.

Helena looked at him. She trusted Remus, but he was still a teenage boy. Seeing no lecherous intentions, she gave him a soft smile.

"Sure."

"Why would I want a girlfriend, anyway?" Sirius asked as if Remus was crazy. "I'll be just as hopeless as Prongs, and I think one hopeless, not to say loveless, fool is enough in our small group."

"Oi!" James exclaimed and threw one of Helena's pillows at Sirius. He wasn't a Chaser for nothing, and the pillow hit it's mark.

"What? Girls flock to me anyway. I got all the girls I need."

"I can make something else flock to you if you do anything like this again," Helena warned ominously. "And this time it won't be your _face_ they will aim after."

Sirius paled. The three other boys roared with laughter, causing Helena to smirk.

"Fine, I won't look through your undergarments again," Sirius finally gave with a pout. He looked like a kid who had been told he couldn't have candy before dinner.

"You know," Remus said to Helena. "I think we're going to be great friends."

~ Helichrysa Dorea Potter ~

At supper James, Remus, and Peter kept glancing at Sirius and laughing. If Charlus hadn't been working, Helena didn't doubt he would be doing the same. Sirius's face was full of scratches left there by her birds, despite his best effort at shielding himself. He had begged Dorea to heal his 'ravishingly handsome face'. She had denied him, telling him with a straight face, that if he shouldn't do the crime if he couldn't handle the time. He had continued to pester her for another twenty minutes, before finally shutting up at the threat of not getting anything to eat.

"Helena," Remus spoke up halfway through the dinner, causing attention to momentarily disappear from Sirius. "How come you know nonverbal spells already? I thought we were first supposed to learn that in Sixth Year."

"Oh," it came from Helena. "It just comes easy to me, I guess. We finished the curriculum for our Charms Class earlier than expected, and our Professor decided to give us a taste of next year. Mind you, if we chose to take N.E.W.T. Charms classes."

"It's not really a surprise that she's good at spells, with how much she reads," James commented. "I think she reads more than anyone in our year."

Helena rolled her eyes. "While I will admit to like reading, I've only read so much in the last week because there wasn't much else to do."

"You could've played more chess with me," James cheekily suggested.

Helena gave him a deadpanned look. "Yes. Or I could go to the dentist for fun."

"Dentist?" all the boys asked in confusion.

"Right, only people raised in Wizarding customs," Helena noted. "They're Muggle Healers for teeth. It's not something you do for fun."

"So you aren't Pureblood?" Pettigrew asked. No, she still couldn't think of him as Peter.

"Peter," Dorea scolded. "You don't ask of something like that. It isn't polite."

"It's all right, Aunt Dorea," Helena waved off. "No, I'm a Halfblood. My dad was Pureblood and my mum was a Muggleborn."

"Oh... That must be why they were attacked," Pettigrew commented. It was clear that it was a fleeting thought he hadn't meant to say out loud. But he had.

Despite that her parents hadn't died recently, it was still a sore point, and wasn't something Helena discussed. And they were in fact attacked, by no other than Tom himself. But it wasn't because they were a Pureblood and 'Mudblood' who had married. They were attacked because of Helena. Of course Helena knew she couldn't blame herself, but she still felt guilty.

So she tensed up. Visibly.

"Peter!" James voice sounded furiously. He didn't sound like a sixteen year old boy there. Helena looked up to see shocked faces around the table. Helena didn't know if it was how James had shouted, or if it was because of what Pettigrew had said. Probably a combination of the two.

"S-sorry," Pettigrew stammered.

Helena looked down onto her half-eaten plate of food. Suddenly she wasn't so hungry.

"Can I be excused?" she asked Dorea. The elderly witch hesitated. "Please?"

"Of course, dear," she sighed.

It was so silent that you would've been able to hear a pin drop. That made the scraping of the chair against the floor sound incredibly loud. Helena didn't care. She just needed to be alone.

There were times when she was with James and Sirius, and today when she had had an incredibly time with Dorea, that she forgot everything that she had left behind. But it didn't mean that she was perfectly okay with it. It was a comfort that she knew that they weren't dead, that she hadn't actually travelled back into time and erased all that they had done by accident. But no matter if they were dead or alive, there was times, especially at night, when Helena felt alone.

She might have a family here, but she had nothing else. Back where she had come from she had close to everything else, but no family. Was it really always going to be one or another for her?

~Helichrysa Dorea Potter ~

_Avada Kedavra!_

Helena bolted up in her bed, a silent scream etched upon her face. Her skin was glistening with sweat, which made the t-shirt she had slept in, along with her hair, cling to her. Her hair was as white as it could be, and Helena couldn't find it in herself to concentrate enough to revert the change.

One did not go through a war without getting scars, both physically and mentally. Helena was no different in that regard, and she had her fair share of scars. While she hadn't gone into hiding with survivor's guilt, as many had feared she would, in the months after the Battle of Hogwarts she had been riddled with night terrors. It had gotten better, especially after she had started talking with Professor McGonagall about the dreams. That said, they still came back to haunt her regularly. Jumping here hadn't changed that.

Helena discarded the duvet and swung her legs over the side of the bed. Sitting up and looking out of the window, out into the rain, she tried taking some deep breaths to calm down. It was working, slowly.

Her nightmares were garbled together. They didn't make much sense. Sometimes it was Volde-Quirrel who was doing all the damaging, and sometimes Tom Riddle himself. There was even one time it had been an inferi Fred. However different, all of her nightmares had that in common that everyone she loved would die, and she could do nothing but watch and scream. Then whoever the bad guy was would turn to her, taunt her, torture her, before eventually killing her off. And that was the point she always woke up.

She needed to get up and around.

Not minding that it was three thirty in the morning, Helena tiptoed out of her room and down to the kitchen. Even the house elves were asleep. Just another sign that the elves in Potter Manor was treated with dignity. After having several glasses of ice-water, Helena got up into the living room. She couldn't get back to her bedroom. She most likely wouldn't be able to sleep for the rest of the night, which meant that the next day was going to be hell.

With a sigh she sat down in front of the fireplace. With a small Incendio, the logs ignited once again. And then she just sat observing the flames dance, her wand slowly twirling in her hand. She didn't know why it comforted her so, but it did. Perhaps it reminded her of the nights she had sat in Gryffindor Common Room, her first real home. Or perhaps it comforted her because of the affinity she had to spells connected to the element of fire. She didn't know. All she did know was that it comforted her.

She didn't know how long she had sat there, when a voice startled her.

"Helena?" James voice sounded. It was thick with sleepiness, and clearly confused. She looked up to see him frown at her. He was only wearing a tee and boxers, much like she was only wearing tee and shorts. He clearly had no idea what she was doing down here so early in the morning.

"James," she acknowledged him. "Sorry, did I wake you?"

"No," James shook his head. "I was just thirsty, and decided to go get some water." He raised his right hand slightly, showing her a half-full glass. "What are you doing?"

"I couldn't sleep," she told him, and turned her attention back to the fire. With her wand, she started playing with a few flecks of fire. Nothing fancy, just Transfiguring them into forms. A dog. A dragon. A human. A tree.

Helena didn't jump as James sat down beside her. This time she had heard him coming. He didn't say something for a while, which Helena was happy about. It was enough that he just sat there, close enough for her to feel his body's heat.

"You really are good at Transfiguration," James grudgingly conceded.

A small smile flickered into existence on her face, before quickly vanishing at the thought of her nightmare.

"Thanks."

"Are you okay?" he then asked softly.

Helena sighed. "It's just nightmares. Nothing new, really."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

Helena shook her head. He didn't leave like Ron would have, nor did he keep pestering like Hermione would have. He didn't even fuss like Molly had done once. He just left it alone, and kept her company. It warmed her insides, in a way that the flames in front of her never could.

"You know," James spoke up again after a few minutes of silence. "Peter didn't mean anything by what he said at supper. He just puts his foot in his mouth sometimes. He felt absolutely horrible after you left. He really is a nice guy."

Helena didn't answer right away. A moment later she sighed. Stopping playing with the flames, she hugged her knees to her chest, and put her mouth to her knees.

"It wasn't as much what he said, as the memories it brought along," Helena admitted in a whisper. If James hadn't sat right beside her, he would've probably not heard. "I love how you have all been so welcoming, and I appreciate it, but..."

"But we can't replace those you have lost," James guessed. Helena hugged her legs tighter into her chest without meaning to. A second later James arm encircled her shoulders, and he gently guided her head to his shoulder. She didn't fight him. "Sorry about that."

"It's okay." She breathed in, James's scent filling her nose. He smelled like spices and Christmas. It brought water to her ears. It was a familiar smell. Could it really be that she could remember it all from when she was one?

"I know none of us could ever replace anyone in your heart," James spoke again. He was close now that she could feel the vibrations coming from his throat. "But that doesn't mean that we can't have hold a piece of your heart as well. I have only known you a week, and I already think of you as a sister. And I know mum and dad think of you as a daughter. You are safe here, and we would rather die than see anything happen to you. Sirius as well."

Helena didn't answer. She didn't know what to answer. And then those damned tears started to fall from her eyes again. She quickly dried them.

"It's okay to cry, Helena," James told her. She could almost see his frown. She almost snorted. So he had actually seen her trying not to cry. He was by far more perceptive than others gave him credit for. "I won't tell anyone."

He might not be her father here, but he was her brother. And he cared for her. Slowly tears started to fall again, but this time she didn't try to stop them. And James didn't say anything to it. He just sat there, when he really should be sleeping, and let her silently weep as she leaned on his shoulder.

James truly was everything Helena had hoped for him to be.


	4. Happy Birthday

**Disclaimer:** I do not own anything of Harry Potter. Everything is owned by the amazing Joanne Rowling. I have merely taken the liberty of playing with her amazing work.

**The Jump**

**Author's Notes:** I must admit that I'm not entirely happy with this chapter, but it is what it is. Next chapter we will finally be going to Hogwarts, so look forward to that :).

**Chapter Four:** Happy Birthday

~ Helichrysa Dorea Potter ~

The day after Helena and Dorea had been to Diagon Alley, Dumbledore came visiting again. Helena and he had been given one of the studies to speak in, and spoke they did. For three hours they sat in the study, going into more detail of what happened in Helena's timeline. Everything had to be taken with a grain of salt: after all, Helena and Dorea had established that there were differences between the timelines, even before Helena's arrival. That said, even having information about a possibly future, could help the Light side of the upcoming War immensely. What that hopefully meant, was that there would only be one war instead of two, that the war would be over far more quickly, and that the causalities on the Light side could be reduced.

Dumbledore and she had decided that it would be best if they meet up every four days. Some of the meetings would be in his office at Hogwarts, and some of them would be in Potter Manor. That would be decided as the meetings came up. Helena would've insisted to meet more often, so they could sort everything out more quickly. Dumbledore had pointed out, however, that even if he had the information, it would take time to get it out to the Order and whoever else needed it. That, and she needed to get to terms with being stuck here, and get to know her new family. Helena had conceded to his points, so every four days their meetings would be held. At least until the Hogwarts term started.

Of course Sirius and James were puzzled by Helena's relationship with the Headmaster. Oh, how they pestered her at what was going on at those meetings – especially as they had discovered that they could, in fact, _not_ eavesdrop on them. It might have been incredibly annoying, if it wasn't so incredibly satisfying to see how frustrated the two boys became, when they got nothing out of Helena.

And so the days went by, one after the other. While Helena felt the despair of being separated from the people she had grown up with, and wondered what happened from where she came from (she had to learn not to think of it as 'home') when they discovered that she had disappeared, she also felt great joy at getting to know the family she had never had the chance to be with when she was a child.

James was someone Helena thought without she would've broken down. He teased her, of course, and she teased him right back. He was a boy at heart, and some things that he and Sirius thought was funny, Helena simply thought disgusting. But when Helena needed him, he would drop everything he had and be there for her. And as he had promised, he hadn't told anyone of that night in the living room, where she had cried. Helena knew it was stupid to not wanting people knowing that she had cried, but... It wasn't something she was used to.

Dorea was like Molly, only better. Better because Dorea was actually Helena's grandmother. Helena didn't doubt that if Molly had chosen (and been allowed) to adopt her, then Molly would do just as well a job as Dorea. But that was not to be. While most of her time was spent with Sirius and James, which, surprisingly, the two boys didn't mind, Helena didn't forget about Dorea. When James and Sirius needed some 'alone time' (they had blushed bright red when she had called it that), Helena would go to Dorea. They had spent many hours in the garden that Dorea had taken care of for eighty years. Helena loved it out there. It was something she had done before, some normalcy in all the craziness she had landed herself in. And out there the two of them talked. Not about anything in particular, but simply enjoyed being with each other.

Helena hadn't gotten to know Charlus as well as the others. The Head of the House of Potter was a busy man, and spent many hours each day working. Dorea had told her that it hadn't always been like this, but when the conflict with Tom (it wasn't officially called a war yet) had picked up, Charlus had been determined to do all he could to help. And since Charlus was a liaison between two critical points in the Ministry, the head of DMLE and the Auror Office, he spent as much time as he could allow himself to at work. That told Helena that it was probably from him she had inherited her 'Saving People Thing'. She was rather proud at that.

And then there was Sirius. He was the one that Helena had the easiest yet the hardest time at being with. And that was because she had known him from Before. It made it easy to be around him, because she knew what to expect of him (though, he had changed some in the twelve years he spend in Azkaban, and he had never flirted with her as an adult). On the other hand it he also reminded her of everything hard she had been through. While Tom had been revived after Cedric's death, Helena felt that the last shred of childhood she had disappeared with Sirius. With that said, even with how Sirius reminded her of her past, he was also so much fun to be with. And he kept giving her these looks, looks she knew he had used on other girls which had made their panties hit the floor with such a velocity that it would've taken house elf magic to get them free. Of course he only did it for fun and to rile up James, but, honestly, Helena liked it (just a little too much). It reminded her of how Fred had used to look at her.

It would take time, but Helena knew that she at one point could feel at home with the Potters.

The moment that Helena wasn't labelled as 'unwell', it hadn't taken long for the residents of Potter Manor to figure out that the metamorphmagus was usually the first one up in the morning, and one of the last ones down in the evening. It wasn't to say that she didn't like to sleep in or anything, but old habits die hard. As soon as she had turned five the Dursleys had expected her to get up at daybreak and have breakfast ready for them when they awoke, and she was to stay up doing all manners of crazy and unnecessary chores so she wouldn't have time to do her homework properly. It had gotten better at Hogwarts where she was only expected to do her homework, but since Helena actually had a chance to do them, she wanted to do as well as she could. In the later years, and now after the war, it had also been an excuse as to not fall asleep and risk a nightmare.

So the Potters weren't surprised anymore, when they entered the kitchen in the morning and saw her sipping her tea with the newest edition of the Daily Prophet in her lap. She knew she could be in the living room, but she liked to be among the house elves. The elves hadn't seemed bothered by her presence. In fact they seemed absolutely thrilled by it. It had quickly become her morning ritual in the Manor.

These were the reasons why Helena didn't expect anyone but house elves to be in the kitchen, when she entered it one morning. She most certainly hadn't expected the two boys of Potter Manor to jump out from different hiding spots and shout at her.

"SURPRISE!"

Helena was still half asleep (as she was before she had had her tea), so when her new brother and friend startled her, she shrieked loudly and the picture beside her was destroyed by her magic. A moment later when she saw who it was, she glared.

"Don't do that!" she cried accusingly. He hand was on her chest, trying to calm her heart. James and Sirius were looking with wide eyes at the remains of the picture, which now laid smouldering and in pieces on the floor. "What?"

"You know," Sirius said cheekily after he had recovered from his own surprise. "You really shouldn't go around destroying things."

"Well, stop jumping out of nowhere shouting at me, and I won't." Helena's glare increased on the dog animagus. Taking a deep settling breath, she walked over to stove and put over a kettle of water the elves had readied for her. "Why are you down here already, anyway? You two are usually not up for another hour or three."

"We wanted to surprise you," James told her.

Helena shot him a dead look. "Geez, I would _never_ have guessed _that_." James pouted at the sarcastic response, as Sirius cracked up.

"Oh, shut it, you bloody mutt," James told Sirius. He then turned back to Helena. "You honestly don't know why we would want to surprise you today?"

"Apart from your odd sense of humour? No."

James and Sirius looked incredulously at each other.

"Helena, what is the date today?" Sirius asked.

Helena shot him an annoyed look, as she poured her cup of tea. "Why?"

"Just answer the question, love."

"Erm," Helena thought for a few moments. "It must be July thirty-first. Oh!"

It was her birthday.

"Surprise!" James shouted again.

"Oh..." Helena suddenly felt very bad about being so annoyed at the boys. "Sorry. And thanks."

"You seriously forgot that it was your birthday today?" Sirius asked. She nodded. "_How_ could you forget about your birthday?"

The metamorphmagus shrugged. "It's never really been a big deal for me."

That much was true. She wasn't even completely sure when her birthday was before she was eight, when she had stumbled over her birth certificate while cleaning. No one had celebrated her before her seventeenth birthday – but that day was ruined as the Death Eaters had attacked during Bill and Fleur's wedding, forcing The Golden Trio to go on the run a few days earlier than planned. Sure, after her first year at Hogwarts she had received gifts by owls, but that wasn't really being celebrated. And Helena didn't feel like celebrating her birthday so soon after The Battle of Hogwarts (where she turned eighteen... like she did today, which was confusing). So her birthday had never been a big deal for her.

Helena watched with amusement as the two boys paled significantly. They were absolutely horrified! Helena hid her grin behind the cup. It was as if she had told them that she hated puppies or that she would love to snog a Slytherin or Severus Snape.

"Y-you- deal- not a," James stammered aghast.

"I got you Prongs, I got you," Sirius soothed as he enveloped James with one of his arms.

"Pads, this is the saddest thing I have ever heard!" James lamented.

Helena rolled her eyes. "Get a grip, James. There's nothing wrong with not making a big deal out of one's birthday. Jehovah's Witnesses doesn't celebrate their birthdays, and while I disagree with some of their beliefs, they are just as normal as everyone else."

"Who's Jehovah?" James asked.

Sirius nodded. "And why does he have witnesses?"

Helena stared blankly at the two boys before sighing. It was too early in the morning for this. She might be used to be up this early, but that didn't make her a morning person.

"I have got to stop making references to Muggle culture," she muttered to herself. James and Sirius was still looking at her, expecting an answer. It was also too early in the morning to enlighten the two of religion. "Look, I appreciate what you are trying to do, but I'm just not used to celebrating my birthday."

James frowned. "Mum and Dad always threw me parties before I started on Hogwarts, and they sent me tons of gifts my first birthday away from home."

"They really did," Sirius snickered. "I think there was about five owls carrying three packages each. And it weren't small packages, mind you."

"So why didn't your parents celebrate you?"

Helena looked away. Her parents didn't celebrate her because they were dead. And the Dursleys didn't celebrate her because they hated her like the plague.

"We weren't very close," Helena lied. "I loved them dearly, but they were very busy." She gulped down the lump that had been gathering in her throat. James and Sirius weren't exactly the easiest persons to talk to this about.

"At least they didn't hate your guts," Sirius tried cheer her up. It worked slightly, and made her give him a small smile.

"Well, it doesn't matter what your previous birthdays has been like," James told her firmly. "You are family now. We are going to make sure this is the best birthday you have ever had."

That wasn't exactly a hard thing to do. It was already the best birthday she had had, but that was because there were no Dursleys, no Death Eaters, and no recently fought battle.

But she appreciated how the two boys cared about her. It warmed her. She realized she had stated it before, but she really didn't know how she would have handled being there, if she wasn't with the Potters – Yes, Sirius was included there. He was as much a part of the Potters as James was.

Sirius and James wished her a happy birthday one more time before leaving her alone to do her morning ritual. She was glad. As much as she appreciated the boys, she needed her time alone. It wasn't like when she was younger, where she got alone and brooded – a lot. Now it was just to think. There wasn't a big distinction, but it was important to make. She didn't blame herself anymore.

After scanning the Daily Prophet for unusual deaths, which could only be the Death Eaters, but which the Daily Prophet and the Wizarding society at large wouldn't acknowledge yet, she left the kitchen to join the rest of the family in the dining room.

Her second surprise of the day, this one more pleasant than the first, came when she joined the Potters. The dining room was decorated. And not Ron's kind of decorating, but Hermione's kind of decorating.

The room had red and gold paper garlands hanging across the room, fairies were dancing below the ceiling, and the breakfast table was to die for. The most mouth-watering food stood ready to be eaten, a maroon silk to-the-floor tablecloth dressed the table up to look extraordinary. There was even bouquets of daffodils, which were her favourite flowers – though how they had found that out, she didn't know. It was most likely a passing comment in the gardens with Dorea, which she hadn't paid much attention to.

The Potters were dressed up in their best clothes. It wasn't party clothes, but definitely not something Helena had seen them in before at breakfast. Dorea had a beautiful but modest pastel dress on, Charlus had a brown _muggle_ suit, and the two boys didn't wear morning hair and sweat pants. Even the house elves had their normal uniforms adorned with what Helena was sure they thought was extremely pretty jewelry. House elves weren't exactly known for their fashion sense, so what they thought pretty was colourful bottle caps. Helena appreciated the gesture either way. And she suddenly felt extremely underdressed in the purple tee she had slept in along with her grey sweatpants.

That's when Dorea noticed her standing timidly at the entrance, not sure what to do of herself.

"Happy birthday, Helena," Dorea greeted Helena with a smile. That in turn made the rest of the room notice he, and one by one they wished her happy birthday.

"Thank you," Helena said stunned. "You didn't have to do this. You didn't have to do anything."

"Nonsense, dear," Charlus said with a roll of his eyes. "You have been through so much. The least we can do is celebrate your birthday."

"And don't think this is all," Sirius promise with a grin. "This is only the start."

Helena shot him a disgruntled look. "What have you done?"

"The boys has officially claimed you tonight," Dorea told her. "I think they're-"

"No, no, don't go spoil what we have planned, mum," James admonished Dorea with a grin. He then turned to Helena. "Not that I don't think you look dashing, but from what I have learned about you, you won't be comfortable before you have changed. So go do that, and fast please. I'm absolutely famished."

It scared her a little how quickly James had figured her out. But, then again, she had confided in him a lot. More so than she had either Dumbledore or Dorea, though she had had to alter her past.

After having changed into a white summer dress with floral design, Helena had hurried down to the dining room again. Being properly dressed made her feel much more at ease, though it was still odd for her. It was truly a strange and foreign concept being celebrated. The Potters were very different from the Weasleys. While Sirius and James had their outburst, and at one point sung an impressive version of Happy Birthday, the atmosphere was much more relaxed. There wasn't any chaos, no endless exchange of toppings, and no friendly arguments. It was a bittersweet realization to make, but bittersweet was still all right. Slowly but surely she was moving on.

After breakfast they moved to one of the sitting rooms, which was filled with presents. For Helena. She had starred with wide eyes. Yes, she had received gifts, but only five or so at most. Don't get her wrong, she was more than okay with seven gifts (remember, no gifts before she was eleven). But this... there was a table full of gifts. About a dozen of them.

"Are these all for me?" Helena asked.

"Well, it's no one else's birthday, love," Sirius explained as if he was talking to a child. "Though, I could take some off your hands."

"Oh, bugger off you blooming clunge," James pushed Sirius with a laugh.

"James..." Dorea admonished.

"Sorry, mum."

From Dorea she got a book on Herbology named _Fantastic Flora of France_. It was a sweet gift, even if Helena wasn't absolutely thrilled about Herbology. The fact probably sprung from the fact that it was the only O.W.L. she didn't get an Outstanding in, but an Exceeds Expectations. For her N.E.W.T.'s she would make sure she got an O. So the book definitely helped. Besides that, it was kind of Dorea's and Helena's thing, Herbology, as they spent their time together in the garden.

Charlus gifted her with a set of books on defensive magic. It wasn't truly a surprise as he was the one in the family who was most aware of just how bad it was out there – at least apart from her. The books were named _The Dueller's Arsenal I: Fundamentals of Fighting_ and _The Dueller's Arsenal II: Speedy Spell-casting and Cunning Combinations_, along with an Auror's handbook from when Charlus had been training to become an Auror decades ago. Of the three books Helena valued the third most. Not only was it incredibly rare, as non- Auror's really wasn't supposed to get their hands on the handbooks, but it had also been Charlus's own. Helena valued anything that had belonged to her family with great care. She had a golden locket engraved with an L and a J intertwined, that James – her father, James – had given to Lily. The one time someone had tried to take it from her, which was some random Slytherin Helena didn't even remember the name of, Helena had landed him firmly in the Hospital Wing for a fortnight. It was the first and last time someone had tried to take it from her.

Sirius's gift comprised of several things related to Quidditch. There was even a book, which Helena guessed Sirius had a hard time giving as a gift. Sirius really wasn't a fan of books. It was named _Flyfree's Quidditch Encyclopaedia_. While Helena hadn't read it before, she had heard of it. It was the go-to Quidditch handbook of this time, and would be until the publishing of _Quidditch Through The Ages_ in 1990. Sirius had also gifted her with Seeker gloves, and a poster (magical, of course) of Puddlemere United. It was then that Helena knew, truly knew, that Sirius cared for her in this time as well. The only thing he and James didn't agree on was what Quidditch Team to support in the British League. While James, and now Helena, was supporters of Puddlemere United, while Sirius simply loved the Montrose Magpies. It was must've been so hard for the dog animagus to have bought the poster, that Helena kissed him quickly on the cheek. Oh, how both he and James blushed.

It was a surprise to find two gifts from Remus and Pettigrew. She had met them all of three times, and while she and Remus got along well, she and Pettigrew hadn't interacted much (Helena admitted to trying to ignore him, as she still had the urge to throw a Bombarda at his face from time to time). She certainly wouldn't have expected a gift from them. But they had. Given, they were less personal than the gifts from Charlus, Dorea, and Sirius, but it was the thought that counted... even Pettigrew's gift.

Remus, who had discovered her love for gifts early, had given her a gift certificate for Flourish and Blotts worth five Galleons (enough to buy almost two books). Pettigrew- alright, Peter. The least she could do when he had given her a gift was call him Peter. At least for now. So _Peter_ had given her a bag of sweets. Helena had never been a big fan of sweets like Ron, though she did enjoy them in managed quantities. But that it had been a boy she had only known for a few weeks... Perhaps she should give Peter a fair chance. If she gave everyone else a chance, then he deserved one as well.

As much as she loved the gifts she had gotten so far, James's gift for her was by far the best. He had hidden it behind the couch, and only brought it out as she had finished opening Peter's gift. It didn't take a genius to guess what it was. Really, it was miracle that she hadn't guessed what it was back in First Year when Hedwig had brought her a more crudely packed package during breakfast. It was a broomstick.

"Are your serious!?" Helena exclaimed in excitement as she saw James bring forth the gift.

"Nope," Sirius shook his head. "I'm afraid that's me, love."

Helena ignored the ponce.

"This must've cost a small fortune," Helena told James as she accepted the gift from him. Broomsticks weren't exactly cheap.

"Eh," James shrugged. "What is money if you can't use it on buying things for those you love."

Helena looked up in surprise. While she was sure James cared about her, she hadn't dared hope for having him love her for a while. James, probably seeing the surprise in her face, smiled gently at her.

"Go on, open it."

Helena tore into it like a Thestral would tear into raw meat. The others were quite amused by this, she noticed. But, then again, all her other gifts she had opened slowly, savouring the feeling of receiving them. It was only a few seconds before her very own broomstick was free to view. For a fraction of a second Helena thought she was back in First Year looking at her new Nimbus 2000. It made sense when she was the model she was holding in her hands: a Nimbus 1500. It was the newest model on the market, which she herself had admired when she and Dorea had been to Diagon Alley.

"James..." she breathed out.

The boy in question held up a hand. "I won't hear any of it. I made especially sure that you could _not_ return it. It's yours. The end."

With tears in her eyes she launched into his arms, hugging him tightly.

"I was just going to say thank you."

With a chuckle he hugged her back. She would never tell James this, but she loved his hugs. And why wouldn't she tell him this? Well, James was still a boy, and boys reacted oddly at times.

It would come to no-one's surprise that the rest of the morning and the entirety afternoon was used on flying. The Potters had made a small Quidditch pitch out behind their house, behind the garden, but it had been oddly unused while she had been there. Now, however, the three teens made up for it.

To fly again was the best feeling in the world. Helena never understood why Hermione had such a fear of flying. Maybe it was because she simply wasn't very good with a broomstick, and thus didn't feel safe? Helena didn't know. She had crashed more than a few times, even breaking a shoulder – Hell, she had had Dementors attacking her, causing her to fall from several hundred feet in the air –, and still she got up. It was pure freedom for Helena. And she _loved_ going fast.

Sirius and James had quickly become extremely impressed with her. While they hadn't voiced it, Helena had seen the doubt in their eyes when she had told them of just how good she was on a broom. So it was very arrogantly that she had asked them 'Well?' after a particularly daring dive, where she had only pulled up a few feet over the ground. After the two boys had been convinced she wouldn't accidentally fall of, they played with the Quaffle a bit. Sadly, they didn't have a Snitch, but, as she had mentioned, just flying again was good.

After supper James had informed her to go wash up and then to go to her room and dress in the most fancy attire she had. She had looked suspiciously at him, but he hadn't budged and wouldn't tell her anything of what they were going to do that evening. Knowing that she had inherited her stubbornness from her father – _hellooo_, he pined over a girl for six years, five of which the girl hated his guts –, Helena had sighed and complied.

She might've complied, but that didn't mean she couldn't have her own fun. So she had went all out; she had put on a thin layer of makeup which worked like a charm, did her hair which made it fall down in cascades, and chose the absolute most gorgeous dress she had. While it might not be what people in the seventies wore, she _really_ wanted to see the boys' reaction.

The dress she had chosen was a dark green thing, that was rather form fitting along the torso, before falling in a handful of layers to just below her knees. It was the dress she had worn to Bill and Fleur's wedding. She had smiled as she remembered Ron's reaction that most of her back was on display. He had spluttered for a while, before Helena had patted him on the shoulder telling him it was okay.

Sirius and James hadn't reacted much better. They had been waiting on her by the bottom of the stairs, both dressed rather handsomely themselves. Both was dressed in casual suits, which sat tightly over their chest showing off their muscles, and Sirius's pants cupped his arse quite well.

When they had heard her walk down the stairs, they had both turned around, only to freeze. A second later their jaws dropped. Helena was smiling quite smugly.

"Fancy enough for you, brother dear?" she asked James.

"I- Erm- You," James stammered. He shook his head. "You look beautiful Helena."

"You really do," Sirius agreed. Helena was surprised by the earnestness in his voice. She would've expected him to make some perverted joke. Now it was her time to blush.

Helena had been surprised for the umpteenth time that day, when the two boys took her out to Muggle London. She had quietly asked them if they had taken a wrong turn, and they had simply laughed at her. In her defence it had been a fair question, as the two hadn't the slightest idea of what being around Muggles entailed. But they were supposed to be in Muggle London – well, more or less. When the two boys had turned down an alley, Helena had seriously started questioning their sanity. It had all made sense, however, when they had pulled her through a wall, and they had stepped into what could only be a night club. A magical night club.

Veelas walked around young wizards and witches serving cocktails, and fairies danced under the ceiling. In the corners customers were showing off small nifty spells to impress their friends. She admit to have stood stunned for a while, before the two boys had dragged her into the club proper.

It was the most fun she had had in a long while. In fact she couldn't remember exactly when she had so much fun. Perhaps the Yule Ball in Fourth Year. That had been good, and had been when Fred had admitted he was very attracted to her.

They had only made it back to Potter Manor at three in the morning. She was extremely sore when she laid down in her bed that night, but it was well worth it.

~ Helichrysa Dorea Potter ~

The end of the summer holidays was approaching fast, and for the first time in her life, Helena actually felt sad because of it. Bar the summer after The Battle of Hogwarts, and to a degree the summer of her seventeenth birthday, the summers had always been something she dreaded. She had always counted the days until she would be back at Hogwarts, and even the hours and minutes when there was less than a week till September first. That was not the case this summer. Without a doubt, this had been the best summer she had ever had. There had been more than a few times where she had been very much down due to the incident that brought her there, but the days that she had had fun far outnumbered the days she hadn't.

Slowly but surely she was beginning to think of Dorea, Charlus, and James as her aunt, uncle, and brother instead of her grandmother, grandfather, and father. It hadn't been an easy thing to do, but as she kept reminding herself, while these people were similar, they had made different choices and thus were different than the people she had left behind. It was still an odd thing to be cared for, and she was rather sure everyone in the Potter Manor had noticed the odd looks she gave them when they did something sweet for her. None of them said anything, however, and none of them brought up her past, instead waiting for her to tell them by her own volition. She was extremely thankful for that, because as much as it was necessary, she really didn't like lying. Most of the time it was just white lies, alterations if you will, of her past. Still, the only ones she could tell the truth to was Dorea and Dumbledore, and Helena didn't want to worry Dorea more than she absolutely had to.

Her talks with Dumbledore had become more pleasant as the summer went along. They still talked about all that had to be done to end the war before it truly took its toll on the Wizarding society, but as the weeks went by, they also had discussions about anything from House Elf Rights to the Laws of Transfiguration of the Five Elements. Whereas the Dumbledore she had grown up with had become a mentor and grandfather to her, this one was slowly becoming more of a friend. It helped that Dumbledore treated her like an equal instead of a mere student. She quite liked that. And, without putting words in Dumbledore's mouth, Helena thought that the Headmaster also quite enjoyed being with someone who actually knew about his past. As much as he was close to Professor McGonagall, as far as Helena knew, the old wizard had never told anyone about, for example, the incident with his baby sister or Grindelwald. It wasn't that Helena and Dumbledore actually discussed those incidents, but Dumbledore was far more relaxed when they had their discussions, than Helena had ever seen him before. Helena would admit that it could have something to do with not having been through two additional wars, besides the war with Grindelwald.

Sirius was still a bit of an enigma to Helena. There were strong similarities between this Sirius and the Sirius who had been her godfather, and Helena had seen flashes of this Sirius in the other... older... Sirius. But they were two vastly different people. Helena knew that Sirius must've changed a lot after not only having lost his best friend and been betrayed by another friend, but also after spending twelve long years in Azkaban. But it wasn't before she had been around this Sirius, and seen how outgoing and _happy_ he was that she realized just how much Azkaban had changed her godfather.

With that said, just because this Sirius hadn't been in Azkaban, didn't mean he didn't have a dark past. Not that Sirius was Dark, but that he had been around and been exposed to dark things. He was a Black after all. His mother was a horrid woman obsessed with blood purity, his father was an apathetic ponce, and his brother at this point was a boy all-too-fascinated with the Dark Arts. Helena could only imagine what he had been through as a child. No, slash that: she couldn't even imagine what he had been through as a child. Thank Merlin that this Sirius only had to be with those horrid people for eleven years, instead of sixteen like her godfather ad been forced to. But even those elven years had marked him

At first glance Sirius was an open book who didn't hide a thing. But the more time one spent with him, it became apparent that it was a mask he had in place. All those unchaste jokes and comments he came with was a shield. Helena didn't doubt that those comments and jokes were also part of him, but he hid his true self behind that specific part of himself. James was most likely the only person who truly knew Sirius. It was no wonder they were so close. Helena had even heard them describe each other as soul mates, and Helena believed them.

It didn't help Helena that she found Sirius incredibly attractive. For Merlin's sake, he had been her _godfather_ and her _father's best friend_ from where she came. Yeah, yeah, they weren't the same person, but it didn't help her. When she was perusing him when he didn't look (yeah, she had done that), she felt physical responses that could only be caused by sexual attraction. But when she was alone and thought of how hot Sirius was, she got the image of her godfather in her head, and felt so dirty. She had even had to take a long scathing shower once after she had thought of him during a... erm... _intimate_ episode. Hey! She was an eighteen year old girl! She was allowed her _alone_ time.

Enough of that now.

It was the morning of the tenth of August, and as always the Potters ate breakfast together. By now, as with many other things, Helena didn't feel out of place anymore. She wasn't as chatty a person as James or even as Sirius, but no longer did she feel awkward if she wanted to contribute to the conversation. James had been in the middle of one of his rants of the importance of Quidditch when the post arrived. Helena's whole face had lit up as three familiar envelopes were carried by the large barn owl.

Helena was confused at the moment at the sudden nervousness James and Sirius displayed, before remembering that it would be in those letters they would get the result of their O.W.L's. She didn't blame them. When she had held the letter with the result of her own O.W.L.'s she had been a mess. Helena frowned as she looked at the envelope which held her own letter. How would it work with her not having taken her O.W.L.'s in this time?

Only one way to find out.

As she read how it was addressed to her, one of her eyebrows rose in mild surprise. That was Dumbledore's loopy but elegant script instead of Professor McGonagall's more easily read elegant script.

_To_

_Miss Helichrysa Potter_

_The Dining Room_

_Potter Manor_

_Godric's Hollow_

There were three letters in the envelope. Helena frowned in confusion as she looked at the first. That was the supply list she got each year. The next was a letter from Dumbledore.

_Dear Helena_

_I hope that the summer has found you well. I have to tell you, that I have quite enjoyed our meetings this summer, despite the serious subjects we discuss. But I'm afraid that we will have to cease any future meetings up until your arrival at Hogwarts. While many tasks lies with the Deputy Headmistress, I, too, must work some with the fast approach of the new school year._

_I have taken the liberty to pull some strings so you could receive your O.W.L.'s again. It would be best if you didn't ask how. I must say I was quite impressed when you told me what you earned in your time, but after the many hours I have spoken with you, I don't doubt your capabilities. You should see that all your O.W.L.'s are the same – even that Exceeds Expectations you have complained about._

_Warm Greetings,_

_Albus Percival Wolfric Brian Dumbledore._

_P.S. – I do believe by the time you arrive at Hogwarts I will enjoy some ice mice. Do with that what you will_.

Helena snorted as she had gotten to the end of the letter. The letter only proved what she already knew: Dumbledore was far more resourceful and not as 'white' as everyone went around and believed. If he had to, he could become a bit grey as well. It was what made him a great leader, but also what made him dangerous if he made the wrong choices.

"What's so funny?" Sirius asked. He then spotted the extra letter. "Who's the letter from?"

"Just Dumbledore," Helena answered nonchalantly. When Sirius tried to snatch the letter from her hand, she slapped his hand away. Maybe a bit more forceful than was really necessary.

"Ouch!" he cried. He glared at her. "You know, you can be a real b-"

"Sirius Black!" Charlus said sternly.

"-witch sometimes," Sirius continued in a grumble.

"Just be glad that it wasn't one of my stinging hexes," Helena said in a monotone. As she said it, Sirius shuttered. Yes, Sirius had tested some of her limits during the summer. The incident with her undergarments had just been one of many, though Sirius hadn't been reunited with the birds quite yet.

"It's really weird how you and Professor Dumbledore are," James stated. "I know I don't know him very well, but I haven't even seen him like that with Minnie."

Helena shrugged as she smiled mysteriously. The two boys groaned.

"You are evil..." James accused with a small smile.

"Prongs, how are your O.W.L.'s?" Sirius asked.

"Outstanding in Transfiguration, Defence Against the Dark Arts, and Charms, Exceeds Expectations in Herbology, Potions, Care of Magical Creatures, Astronomy, and History of Magic, and an Acceptable in Divination," James answered proudly.

"Congratulations, dear," Dorea said with a beaming smile.

"Good work, son," Charlus nodded.

James puffed up his chest at the praise.

Sirius grinned. "Nice. Though, how you managed to get an E in History of Magic I don't know. I can never stay awake as Professor Binns drone on about some Goblin rebellion or other."

"As Minnie would've put it: sheer dumb luck."

The two boys cracked up at that. Helena smiled as well, remembering the Transfiguration Professor using that exact phrase back in her first year, after her encounter with the Mountain Troll.

"How about you, Padfoot? Did you even manage to get any O.W.L.'s, or will you be retaking most of your classes?"

"Oh, sod off," Sirius said with a grin, punching James in the arm. "I almost got the same O.W.L.'s as you. Outstanding in Defence Against the Dark Arts, Charms, and Astronomy, Exceeds Expectations in Transfiguration, Herbology, Potions, Care of Magical Creatures, and Acceptable in History of Magic and Divination."

"Not bad," James gave. Then he grinned. "Still mean I beat ya!"

"Only by a single grade in History of Magic, and it's not like you're going to continue with the subject!"

"See, Sirius, I told there was nothing to worry about," Dorea told the boy. Sirius blushed.

"So, Helena," Sirius said, clearly wanting to change subject. "What have you gotten?"

"Oh, erm..." Helena opened the letter that contained her O.W.L. results. As Dumbledore had stated in his letter, they were indeed the same. Even that glaring E. "Damn that E."

"Was an E the highest you got?" James asked in surprise. "But you're brilliant."

Instead of answering him, she simply handed him her O.W.L. results and started going through her supply list. A minute later when no one was talking, she looked up to see them all looking at her.

"What?"

"I hate you," James said with a pout. "Again."

"How are you not more excited?" Sirius asked incredulously. "You got an Outstanding in everything but Herbology, Divination, and Muggle Studies, and that's because you don't take the last two. Seriously, you got an Outstanding in _Arithmancy_! Almost no-one gets an Outstanding in Arithmancy."

"Erm, I kind of expected it?" Helena said with a small smile. Thinking up a lie quickly, she continued, "Alright, I might've talked Dumbledore into looking into my O.W.L. results a bit earlier."

"You did what?" James asked with wide eyes. Then he grinned. "Way to go! You misused power!"

Sirius grinned. "I knew you weren't a goody two-shoes."

"I never said I was," Helena said as she began chuckling. "If I told you of some of the things my friends I did at school... I mean, _wow_."

James and Sirius looked at each other, and then at Helena. "Tell us!"

The rest of the morning was used on Helena telling anecdotes of the adventures she, Ron, and Hermione had been on. As always, she had to alter the stories slightly, but that didn't make them any less fun to look back at.

It was bittersweet.

She missed Ron and Hermione so much that it hurt. It physically felt like she was being impaled by a steel rod. But looking at James's and Sirius's smiling faces, and how welcoming it had been of her...

It helped.

~ Helichrysa Dorea Potter ~

The Potters had went to Diagon Alley on a Thursday, a little under a fortnight before Helena, James, and Sirius would be going away to Hogwarts. Their trip to the Alley was nothing like Dorea's and Helena's had been over a month before. The Alley was full of families shopping for the upcoming school year. Whether one went to Hogwarts or a more local school, Diagon Alley was the place to buy the school supplies.

It had been a dirty affair, much like how Sirius treated some of his girls. Quickly in, do the business you need to do, quickly out. Still, it took almost three hours before the Potters were ready to Floo back to the Manor. And they would've if Helena hadn't spotted something as they walked past the Magical Menagerie.

"Helena, what are you doing?" James asked. "We need to go."

"I know, just give me a minute," Helena said absentmindedly. She didn't dare hope, but if what she saw really was who she thought it was...

She pushed into the store and through the customers there. She got her fair share of angry looks, but she didn't care. How in the world that she had even seen the cage in the back all the way from the street she didn't know, but she just _had _to check it. When she finally made it to the back of the store, her breath hitched. It truly looked like her. She was a chick instead of a fully grown owl, but... Was that truly Hedwig?

"I wouldn't be too quick to buy that one," a gruff voice told her from behind. Helena looked up to see the owner of the store. "A feisty one, that one. Snowy owls are rare, alright, but I just can't sell her as she keeps clawing anyone who tried to get close. She's been home with someone three times, and each time they come back with her."

"If you don't mind me asking, how old do Wizarding owls get?" Helena asked, masking her hope.

"It depends," the man shrugged. "Some lineages only produce owls that stay alive for twenty to twenty-five years. Most commonly, however, is around fifty years. We've been breeding them for over a millennia now, and with how long-lived Wizards get, we want a companion to stay with us for a while. This one, however, she should get to be a good eighty years before she gets any health problems."

Eighty years. Helena breathed out. It really was Hedwig.

Ignoring the protests of the owner, Helena opened the cage and stuck her arm in. Hedwig didn't hesitate and jumped over on her arm. Helena brought Hedwig out of the cage and brought her to her face. Hedwig's large amber eyes looked into Helena's emerald ones. Hedwig chirped. That's when Helena started to cry.

Oh, how she had missed the owl. Hedwig had been Helena's only steadfast companion since she had received her on her eleventh birthday. The snowy owl had been with her in the many summers, suffering alongside Helena. Hedwig had all but maimed Ron and Hermione when they wouldn't answer Helena's letters after Fourth Year. And the beautiful owl had given her life to save Helena's when she had fled Privet Drive for the last time.

"Well, I'll be," the owner breathed. "Look, normally such a rare bird would cost around five Galleons. But with how much trouble I've had selling her, and seeing that you will be keeping her, I will be selling her for four Galleons. I'll even throw in three packs of owl treats, and a grooming kid with."

"I'll take her," Helena smiled through her tears. "Isn't that right, Hedwig?"

Hedwig chirped happily.


	5. Returning Home

**Disclaimer:** I do not own anything of Harry Potter. Everything is owned by the amazing Joanne Rowling. I have merely taken the liberty of playing with her amazing work.

**The Jump**

**Author's Notes:** The description of the uniforms are almost entirely taken from _Chapter 8: Row Your Boat_ of _Flying High_. It was just done so well, that I wanted it in my story as well. But I do _not_ take credit for that part. It is entirely written by showmethestars.

**Chapter Five:** Returning Home

~ Helichrysa Dorea Potter ~

Helena sat amused on top of James's bed on the evening of the 31th of August, watching James run frantically around the room and grabbing stuff. Hedwig sat on her arm, clearly enjoying the pleasurable administration Helena was giving her. Since Helena had been reunited with her familiar, the two hadn't spent much time apart. Where Helena went, Hedwig went. Sometimes, with how Hedwig acted, Helena almost thought that the noble bird had the memories of the Hedwig from where Helena came from. While it was unlikely, Helena wouldn't deny the possibility; magic worked in strange ways sometimes, ways that even the most powerful of Wizards couldn't hope to understand. Whether Hedwig actually had the memories or not could never be proved of disproven. Regardless of that, Helena was over the moon of just being with her heart-friend again.

"Helena, have you seen my Potions book?" James asked, his voice conveying slight panic. Helena was unaffected by it: that was what you got, when you postponed packing your trunk to the last evening. "I can't find it anywhere."

"Last I saw it, it was under your bed," Helena told him, not taking her eyes off of Hedwig.

James frowned, but looked. A moment later he straightened up again, a very dusty Potions book in his hand.

"How in Merlin's name did it end up there?"

"You threw it there by accident when you tore the figure of Puddlemere's Chaser off your shelf, during one of yours and Sirius's clashes of which Quidditch Team is the better," Helena told him.

"Oh."

"One... Two... Three..." Helena whispered under her breath.

"Shit! Where is my broom?!"

Helena sighed.

"You gave it to me, asking me if I had room in my trunk, remember?" she said in a bored tone. "Your trunk is apparently going to be full of all the junk you bought from Gambol and Japes."

"Oh, yeah. Thanks," James said sheepishly. And then he mock glared at her. "And it's _not_ junk. It's magnificent props for the Marauders' pranks."

Helena snorted. "If you were so professional as you say you are, you wouldn't need to buy your props. No, you would make it yourselves." As she told him that, she got the picture of Fred and George in her head. The twins might've idolized the Marauders, but they were by far the better prankers. And never had the twins approached the border of actually bullying someone, as the Marauders did with Snape.

"Oi, that..." James had started out offended, but then got a pensive look on his face. "That is actually a good point."

Helena rolled her eyes.

"I can't believe that you and Sirius waited until tonight to pack your trunks. I mean, _really,_" Helena shook her head with a chuckle. "Aunt Dorea has reminded you of it thrice a day for the last week. And I have tried to make you do it for the last three evenings. I packed my trunk after we returned from Diagon Alley, so I was sure I didn't forget anything."

"Oh, that won't matter," Sirius voice sounded as he entered. He plopped down onto the bed, extremely close to Helena. "Hello, love." His breath felt warm on her skin, and caused it to break out in goose bumps.

"Hey?" Helena half greeted, half asked. Hopefully she hid just how much of an effect the boy had on her. "And what do you mean it won't matter?"

"Mrs P will just mail us anything we forget," Sirius said nonchalantly.

"Sirius!"

"What? It's true," Sirius shrugged. "Ain't that right, Prongs?"

"Yep," James grinned. "Though she won't send any of our prank props."

"I can't imagine why," Helena drawled.

"Hoot."

"See, Hedwig agrees."

"Oi! Play nice, now," James admonished her with his affectionate grin, as he draped his uniform over his loveseat for the next morning.

The uniform was just one proof of how fashion also changed in the Wizarding society. They were indeed very different than from how Helena remembered them from the nineties. The seventies uniform looked very much like the uniform one would find at an elite school, like the one Dudley had went to. It consisted of a plain white buttoned blouse just as it had in the nineties: a house tie with thin stripes as opposed to the nineties thick ones; a thick grey knitted v-neck jumper (that had a house coloured neckline); grey trousers (though Helena would wear a pleated skirt); plain black shoes, and the real kicker was the grey pocketed blazer with the house emblem stitched onto the pocket. And, of course, there was a plain black tied robe with their house emblem on it. As Helena had yet to belong to a house in this time, the part of her uniform that would be in House colours remained entirely grey. Though Helena knew that her uniform would change by the magic of Hogwarts Castle upon her sorting.

"Besides," James continued, bringing Helena out of her musing. "You can't blame us for postponing this horrid task. _We_ can't just wave our wand and make our trunks magically pack themselves."

"And we don't have a magical bag," Sirius added.

"Alright, alright, I see your point," Helena conceded. "You still really should've packed earlier."

"But-" James started. Helena shot him a look. He deflated. "Fine. You're right. Happy?"

"Overjoyed."

A fond smile spread on her lips as she watched the two boys. It was about a month and a half since she had buggered up as much as you could on a spell, and subsequently landed herself twenty-two years into the past. And she was okay. It was strange how much she had come to depend on not only James, but also Sirius. It wasn't to say that she wasn't the independent girl she had always been, but she felt _stronger_ when she was with her surrogate brother and friend. Despite their shortcomings as boys (seriously, it had to be something connected to the Y-chromosome), Helena would have gone down the black hole, that she had been avoiding since the Battle of Hogwarts, without them

"Helena, are you going sit there smiling like some idiot, or are you going to help me pack?"

As she said... Boys had their shortcomings.

Helena scowled at James. Spotting his hairbrush on his nightstand, she waved her hand, making it shoot directly into the side of James's head.

"Ouch!"

"There," she stated smugly. "I helped."

Sirius sat up and stared at her. "Was that _wandlessly_?"

Helena froze. "...No?"

"Yes," James nodded, with equally wide eyes. "It was."

"No, it wasn't."

"Yes, it was."

"_No,_ it wasn't."

"_Yes_, it was."

"Wasn't."

"Was."

"Wasn't."

"_WAS!"_

Sirius chortled loudly, stopping the two surrogate siblings from bickering. Helena blushed. She really should be better than that.

"You guys," Sirius wheezed out between his laughter. "You really are like siblings, you know?"

James smiled fondly. "I know."

"But seriously – and yes, that is me," Sirius said cheekily, making the two Potters roll their eyes. "Was it really wandlessly?"

"Maybe?" Helena shrugged. The two boys kept staring at her. "Alright, yes, it was. But you can't tell anyone. Dumbledore said it was best that I kept it a secret." It could, and most likely would, become an ace that she could use when the war truly started. "And it's not much I can do wandlessly. Basic spells for the most part. And then the Summoning and Banishing Charms."

"That's still pretty damn impressive," James whistled. "Is there anything you can't do?"

Well, she couldn't change into an animal – yet. But she thought that remarking that with cheek would most likely cause some awkwardness for the two _unregistered_ animagus in the room.

So Helena just shrugged. It might be a tad arrogant, but then again, she was a tad arrogant.

"I hope Hogwarts is as great as you've made it out to be," Helena changed the subject. "I am a bit nervous."

"What are you nervous about?" Sirius asked. "All the teachers are going to love you. You might even challenge Evans for the top academic student in our year."

"Hey- Oh, I'm not even going to try," James chuckled. "As brilliant as my Lily-flower is, you're just a natural."

Helena mentally winced at that. It wasn't exactly fair: she had a year more of education than anyone else in Sixth Year. _And_ an additional year on the run, where she spent most of her times studying books of magic to help her defeat Tom. It might not be fair towards the others, but... As Dumbledore had said to her: she deserved a more or less normal year at Hogwarts.

"It's just all new," Helena half lied. The Castle might be the same, but the people were all new. At least this time no-one would know her as The-Girl-Who-Lived. "And I'm kind of worried that I won't be getting into Gryffindor."

"You're as Gryffindor as they come," James rolled his eyes. "You have nothing to worry about."

"Though," Sirius teased. "You do have some very Slytherin qualities."

James glared at Sirius. "Don't even joke about that. They would tear into her like a sphinx into a simpleton."

Helena narrowed her eyes at James. "What, exactly, is that supposed to mean?"

"Oh, man," Sirius chortled. "You walked right into that one, Prongsie!"

"Shut it, you bloody ponce."

Helena raised an eyebrow. "I'm waiting here. You don't think I could take a mere Slytherin on? Need I remind you what happens to Sirius on almost a daily basis."

Sirius was on the other room within a second. "No, no!" he shook his head frantically. "You really _don't_ need to remind him of that."

Both James and Helena ignored him.

"Helena, the Slytherins are different," he insisted. "Sirius might be annoying, but he would never do anything to actually hurt you. Slytherin House is full of _Death Eaters_. Do you have any idea of what they do to people?"

Helena's eyes narrowed dangerously. Hedwig, probably sensing the approaching argument, flew from her spot on Helena's arm to one of the bedpost. There the owl sat observing the three teens.

"Yes, James," she spat venomously. "I know _very_ well what happens to people who cross them. Or have you forgotten why exactly I'm living with you?"

James looked like she had punched him in the gut. "Helena... I'm sorry-"

"No, _I'm_ sorry, James," Helena said as she stood fuming up from the bed. "You have no idea what I have been through. I will _not_ just keep my head down, because I might step on some toes – especially not if it some of Tom's crazy loonies who disapprove!"

"Helena-" James tried, but Helena wouldn't have any of it.

"And shouldn't you stand up to them too, James?" Helena continued ranting. "Or do you think that They will overlook that you'll be together with a 'Mudblood'!? Because James Potter is oh so important, that he will be allowed to keep his little _pet_!?"

As Helena spoke, James flinched each time she made a point. A small part of her – alright, a large part of her – felt awful about it, but he needed to get it through his head. He had no idea what was coming.

"Helena!" Sirius said sharply. "That is enough."

"And I guess that's what you're going to say to the Death Munchers when they politely knock on your door to ask if you would kindly turn in Lily's wand!?" Sirius was stunned into silence. "I am _never_ going to let Tom and his followers hurt anyone I love ever again. I would rather take a thousand more Crucios."

It was then that she noticed the tears that were streaming down her cheeks. Angrily she wiped them in her blouse. Damn those tears. That damned Jump had to have interfered with her tear ducts. She turned away from the two boys and huffed.

"Helena..." James tried again. "I'm sorry, okay?" He turned her around, but she wouldn't look him in the eyes. If he kept thinking like that, he would just die – again. And this time it would hurt so much more, because she already loved him. "_I'm sorry_. I just don't want to see you get hurt either. You're my sister."

Helena looked him the eyes. "James. You are not allowed to get hurt. Do you hear me?"

"I hear you," James smiled.

"That includes you too, Sirius," Helena turned to look at the long-haired boy.

"On my honour," Sirius saluted.

James snorted. "What honour?"

And just like the tension in the room was gone again. And as they helped James pack, Helena suddenly felt very embarrassed. That was an overreaction if she'd ever seen one. It was just like Fifth Year all over again. Only, this time she couldn't blame Tom's assaults on her mind for it.

She blew the fringe out of her eyes. What a mess she was.

"~And done," James breathed out, as he closed shut his trunk.

"And just in time, I see," Dorea said amusedly from the doorway. "Like last year, and the year before that, and the year before that..."

James rolled his eyes. "It wouldn't be last moment if I could just order the house elves to pack it."

"Yeah, right," Helena snorted. "You would probably forget to order them to do it until the last moment."

"So?" James retorted. "They would be done in a moment. Just a snap of their fingers, and the trunk would be packed. And you wouldn't even have to send any things I forget, mum."

"I know. But that would mean I wouldn't hear from you before Christmas."

"Oh, right... sorry," James grinned.

Dorea shook her head with a smile. "You kids should soon consider getting ready for bed. We'll be getting up early tomorrow morning, so Charlus and I can take you for breakfast in London before the train."

"That sounds nice," it came from Helena.

"It's sort of tradition," Sirius admitted with a smile. "We go to the same café each year."

"And each year they get my sausages wrong," James complained. "... But I guess that is tradition, too."

"Indeed," Dorea chuckled.

"Well, it's getting late anyhow," Helena admitted, getting up from the bed and stretched. Hedwig flew from the nightstand to her shoulder. Helena didn't batter an eyelash: ever since they had been reunited, Hedwig had done that several dozen of times. "Good night."

"Sweet dreams, pet."

~ Helichrysa Dorea Potter ~

"Don't worry," Helena told Charlus and Dorea. "I promise I will remind James and Sirius to write you. And you can most likely expect a letter from me in a couple of days of my first expression of Hogwarts."

"Pet, not worrying is the one thing I can't do," Dorea told Helena fondly. "I will be looking forward to your letters. And some from James other than request of sweets and prank materials."

"That is just our Jamie's way of showing his love," Charlus chuckled.

"I want to thank you again for taking me in," Helena told the elderly couple. "I truly don't know what I would've done, or where I would be, if you hadn't."

"But of course, dear," Charlus smiled. "You are family now. Speaking of that, can we expect you at Christmas?"

"Definitely," Helena answered without hesitation.

"Helena, get a move on!" James voice shouted from down the platform. Helena looked over his shoulder and saw him standing with the other Marauders, waving frantically at him.

"Go, pet," Dorea told her. "And have fun."

Helena shot her a brilliant smile. "I will. Bye, Aunt Dorea, Bye Uncle Charlus."

"What took you so long," James asked exasperated when she (in his opinion, finally) approached them.

"I was saying goodbye," Helena told him with a roll of her eyes. "You know, not everyone thinks that a hastily thrown 'Bye mum and dad' over the shoulder is enough, before they go dashing on into the crowd."

James threw an identical eye roll. "Yeah, yeah, yeah."

"I would watch it with how many 'yeah's you throw her way," Sirius whispered loudly. "Last week when I threw three 'yeah's I got a nasty stinging hex thrown after me."

"What did you do?" Remus asked in a snicker.

"Nothing!" Sirius looked affronted that someone thought he had done anything less than noble.

Remus looked over at Helena.

"He was trying on my bra," Helena told him dryly. "I would've used the birds again, if it wasn't because I had promised him to leave his handsome face alone so it would be unblemished when we arrive at Hogwarts." When they looked weirdly at her, she put up her hands. "His words, not mine."

"Sounds like him," Peter admitted with a chuckle.

"You're all just jealous," Sirius stuck his tongue at them.

Remus shook his head in amusement. "Let's get on the train before someone takes our compartment."

"They wouldn't dare!" Sirius and James exclaimed horrified simultaneously. The others ignored them.

It really shouldn't have surprised Helena that the Marauders' compartment was the one at the end of the train, as far away from the Prefects' carriage as possible, but it did. Well, it wasn't exactly _that_ which surprised Helena. It was the same compartment that Helena, Ron, and Hermione had taken in Third Year, the compartment one Professor R. J. Lupin had slept in. It was with a sinking feeling that Helena realized that that was why Remus had taken the train instead of Flooing like the other Professors. It was the closest he had gotten to his friends in years.

"Are you okay?" Remus asked as they sat down.

"Y-yeah," Helena nodded, swallowing the lump in her throat. "I'm fine." She breathed out the half breath she had been holding. Putting her trunk above the seats, and Hedwig's cage between the seats, Helena opened the cage letting the owl out. Hedwig shot her an annoyed look, clearly not happy with being waken up. In the end, with what looked like gargantuan effort, did the owlet flap out of the cage and on top of it, before going promptly back to sleep.

"She's just nervous," Sirius teased.

"She should be," James continued. "She's got to fight a troll to get sorted, after all."

Sirius nodded. "Without a wand."

"And without help," Peter added.

"A troll is it?" Helena asked, masking her amusement. The four boys nodded as they grinned. "Is that all? I've done that already. My friends and I beat a mountain troll in First Year with a Wingardium Leviosa."

Silence filled the compartment.

"_First Year!?"_

"_The Levitation Charm!?_"

"_What the fuck!?_"

"Well, we weren't _supposed_ to fight it," Helena chuckled. "And that's just the start of it. Oh, Hermione, Ron, and I drove our teachers crazy."

Professor McGonagall's '_Why is it when something happens, it is __**always**__ you three?'_ rung in her head.

"Besides, I know how I'm going to get sorted already."

"You do?" Remus asked surprised.

"Yes," Helena nodded. "It's in Hogwarts: A History. The hat worn by Godric Gryffindor, made by Helga Hufflepuff, and enchanted by Rowena Ravenclaw, will be put on my head, and it will sort me."

The boys blinked.

"I thought it was just an mouldy old hat," Peter admitted. The other Marauders nodded.

It was then that the clock struck eleven sharp, and with a tuck the train started it's long journey towards Hogsmeade Station.

"And that's my cue," Remus said as he got up. At Helena's questioning look, he tapped his Prefect's badge that sat loosely on his robes. "I'll be back after my rounds."

"Say hello to my Lily-flower from me," James shouted after him. Remus just waved dismissively as he exited the compartment. James pouted. "He's not going to say hello."

"Have you ever considered, that if you didn't pester her so much, that Lily might be more open to go on a date with you?" Helena asked.

Sirius and James looked at each other.

"Nah!"

Helena sighed at their antics. Sirius and James ignored her, bringing out their Chocolate Frog Cards, Peter following their lead soon after. It wasn't her thing. Ron had tried to get her into it, going as far as starting her collection (which she kept, as she quite valued his intentions), but it just hadn't _clicked_ for her. So instead she took out the book she was currently reading, The Journal of Jorgen Balgruff (one of the biggest wizards of the fourth century, and responsible for discovering many of the fundamental rules of Transfiguration), and she sat down in the corner and began to read.

Helena hadn't seen James and Lily together yet, but by how the other Marauders spoke, they didn't get much along. If this timeline followed the same series of sequences when it came to their relationship, then Sixth Year should be the year that they started getting along, and the Seventh Year where they started dating. Though, maybe with her prodding (read: interference), the two of them might get together much sooner.

For that to happen, however, Helena had to befriend Lily. The metamorphmagus got butterflies in her stomach at the thought. Back from where she came, people always told stories of her father and his friends, but almost none had anecdotes of her mother. The only people she could truly remember telling her about her mother was Remus and McGonagall.

Helena had a particular fond memory of sitting in McGonagall's office in Sixth Year drinking tea, and for once not learning about Transfiguration. They had sat talking about Lily for two hours straight. She had sucked all the information to her. The only other living person at the time who knew Lily anywhere near as good as Professor McGonagall was Petunia, and that awful Muggle had nothing good to say about her sister.

"Helena, you're doing it again."

Helena looked up from her book. James, Sirius, and Peter all sat with amused expressions on their faces. Helena understood why, and even grinned with them, as she saw the strand of hair in her hand. It was slowly changing colour, currently going through the shades of blue. It was something she apparently did when she read, though she never noticed. It was kind of like Hermione tapping her quill against the table when she was taking notes from a book.

"Sorry."

"Personally I think it's very entertaining," Sirius told her. "James and I even made a game out of it."

"You did?" Helena laughed. "Let me hear."

"Nothing too fancy, mind you," James told her. "It's just guessing what the next colour your hair will change into. If you guess right, then you get a piece of candy from the other."

"But you told us to tell you when you were doing it, so..." Sirius shrugged.

"That I did. Thanks."

"What are you reading anyway?" James asked.

"It's the journal of a wizard from the fourteenth century," Helena told them excitedly. She wasn't like Hermione who loved _all_ books. But if it was about Transfiguration, well... There was a reason Professor McGonagall had been ready to hire her as Transfiguration teacher at the mere age of nineteen. "He is famous for discovering-"

Sirius and James made loud snoring sounds, faking sleep.

Helena mock-glared at them. "If you don't want to hear about my books, then don't ask about it."

"Sorry," Sirius chuckled.

A knock on the compartment door stopped the conversation from getting any further. It was the trolley witch.

"Anything from the trolleys, dears?" the elderly witch asked.

"No thanks," Peter smiled sadly.

"Five Chocolate Frogs," James ordered.

"For me as well," Sirius nodded.

Helena snorted. "You're really using your allowances on Chocolate Frogs, solely for their cards?

"Of course," they answered incredulously.

"Don't be surprised, dear," the trolley witch told her with a slight laugh. "You would be surprised by how many does that."

"I suppose," Helena laughed with her, watching as James and Sirius already got excited over the prospect of new cards.

"What about you, dear?" the plump witch asked Helena. "Anything off of the trolley?"

"Yes, please," Helena smiled. "Two Cauldron Cakes and four Crystallised Pineapples, and..." Helena took a look at Peter who were looking wistfully at Sirius and James. "Three Chocolate Frogs for Peter."

Peter's eyes snapped up in surprise. "You don't have to do that."

"I know," Helena said with a strained smile. "But I want to." Peter hadn't betrayed her parents yet, and he had been nothing but nice to her. The least she could do was return the favour.

"Thanks," it came from Peter as he accepted the packages from the trolley witch after Helena had paid for the candy. Then he hesitated, but handed one of the packages to her. "Here. I know it isn't exactly a gift since you bought it, but..."

It was a hand offering. Helena understood that.

"Thanks," she smiled back at him. Having finally learned how to handle those bouncy chocolate frogs, she caught it before it manage to spring out the window. Savouring the taste, she loosened the card with muted interest, and took a look.

_Ptolemy (80 AD – 177 AD) was one of the founders of what we today know as astronomy and astrology. Using the complicated Arithmancy numbering sequence of three, seven, five, Ptolemy mapped the orbits of our solar system's planets for the subsequent seven-hundred years. His discovery was so grand, that he was one of the few wizards apart from Merlin, whose name is remembered in Muggle society even to this day._

"Huh, Ptolemy," Helena mused. If her memory served her correct, it was one of the few cards that Ron was missing. Or at least he had been missing it back in First Year.

"What?" James exclaimed. "You got to be kidding me? You got Ptolemy?"

Helena flashed him the card. "Is it rare?"

"Uh-huh," Sirius nodded with wide eyes. Was that drool? "Like, only Merlin and Morgan le Fay are more rare." He pouted. "That is so unfair! Ptolemy should come to people who really needs and appreciate him! But what does he do? He shows himself to the most unworthy, unappreciative, ungrateful, el-"

"I would be careful how I continued that," Helena warned tight-lipped. "I might've given him to you, but now..." she opened her bag, releasing the card into it. "It'll go where the rest of my collection is."

"In the back of your trunk, collecting dust?" James quipped.

"Yep," Helena nodded seriously, as she went back to her book. Sirius looked like she had killed his puppy. She got much more satisfaction out of that, than he should.

It was at that moment that Remus made it back. He sat down next to Helena and looked at the distraught Sirius and James.

"What did I miss?"

~ Helichrysa Dorea Potter ~

It was dusk by the time the train reached Hogsmeade Station. All dressed in their uniforms, the Marauders and Helena stepped off the train with the rest of the student body. Right away people started moving towards the carriages drawn by Thestrals which stood by the side of the dusty road, eager to get to the castle and the welcoming feast.

As the five Sixth Years started slowly moving down the length of the platform, having the longest to go since they had sat in the back of the train, Helena almost froze. Almost. By now she had learned not to completely freeze when she was confronted with things and people whom she knew or had known about back from whence she came. This time it was the large figure standing by the end of the platform with a lantern, shouting out over the mass of the students.

"Firs' years! Firs' year to me!" Hagrid's voice rung clear out over the dim that the students made.

Helena suddenly felt guilty. Hagrid had been her first true friend, and while he was too trusting at times, the half-giant held a place in her heart that no-one else ever could take from him. He had rescued her from her Aunt and Uncle, and introduced her to the Wizarding World. In many ways, he was her saviour.

He also wasn't the man in front of her.

Why did she feel guilty? Even with all that Hagrid was for her, she hadn't thought of him much since arriving in the alternate seventies. She had thought of all of her close friends, of Dumbledore, of McGonagall. Merlin's Pants, she had even thought of the Dursleys. But Hagrid, the man who had saved her from her God awful relatives? Not a single thought.

"You guys go ahead to the carriages," James said as he took Helena by her hand. "I'm going to ride in the boats with Helena."

"What?" Helena exclaimed in surprised.

"Oh, I want to come as well," Sirius grinned. "Remember our first-"

"No," Helena said firmly, withdrawing her hand from James's. "Neither of you are coming with me."

"Aww, Helena," James pouted.

Helena looked sternly at him. "I know you two, Sirius and James. You just want to come so you can scare the new students. I know better than to think I'm going to battle a troll without a wand, but they won't. Some of them will be Muggleborn, and while they are excited, they are also scared."

Sirius pouted like James did. "You are no fun."

"But you really shouldn't go alone," James insisted.

"Fine," Helena sighed. Looking around she spotted her werewolf friend. "Remus will go with me, won't you?"

"What?" Remus looked up, apparently not having paid complete attention to their conversation. "Oh, sure. If you want me to."

"I do," Helena smiled with a nod. Grabbing a hold of his arm, she dragged him towards Hagrid. "We'll see you up at the castle!"

"See ya."

"Good luck with your Sorting."

Peter, Sirius, and James waved at them as they walked to one of the carriages. Helena frowned when she saw Sirius _look_ at one of the Thestrals. Helena shot him a pitying look (which he thankfully didn't see), as she got another clue to how Sirius's childhood had been. At least James walked right past them without giving them a second thought, as she would expect.

"Why'd you ask me to go with you?" Remus asked. Helena blinked and turned to look at him. She gave him a gentle smile.

"I trust you not to scare the kids, unlike those two goofs."

Remus chuckled. "That would seem like them."

"And I'm not really comfortable around Peter," Helena continued. It wasn't really a secret. Neither she nor the Marauders had voiced it, but it was clear by anyone with eyes that she and Peter wasn't best buddies. She truly was trying, but it was hard. It would take some time.

"Yeah, I noticed," Remus answered with a frown. "Why is that?"

"He reminds me of someone from my past," Helena answered honestly. "He wasn't a good man. And _I know_ that they aren't the same, but..."

"I get it," Remus smiled. "Emotions are rarely rational."

Helena snorted. "You said it."

The two teens walked over to the small crowd of First Years standing in front of the half-giant. Some of them look scared, some of them look excited, but all of them looked nervous. _Now_ it amused Helena. But she remembered being them, and being so nervous about the sorting. It wasn't to say that she wasn't nervous now, but nowhere near as much as when she was eleven. Back then she had been worrying about that it was a mistake she had been sent a letter, and was afraid they would send her back to the Dursleys. She knew better now.

"Ah, you mus' be Helena," Hagrid greeted as they approached. "And hello to you, Remus."

"Hello Hagrid," Remus greeted. "I'm just here to accompany Helena."

"Of course, of course," the large man nodded jovially. "I'm Rubeus Hagrid, though just call me Hagrid. I'm the Keeper of Keys here at Hogwarts school."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Hagrid," Helena told him, barely keeping her erratic emotions hidden.

"Hagrid is probably the nicest person you will ever meet," Remus told her in a lowered voice, as they awaited the last few students. "I sometimes go down a visit him. He lives on the grounds, you know, in a small hut. We have tea and biscuits... though, if you can avoid it, you really shouldn't accept anything Hagrid cooks. As nice as may be, he could probably accidentally kill you with his food."

Helena's mouth twitched. "I'll keep that in mind."

"Alright," Hagrid clapped, making a few of the Firsties jump. "I think that is all. Now follow me, and I'll take you to the boats."

The group walked the dirt path down from the end of the station towards the lake. No one talked much, the First Years most likely because of how nervous they were, and Helena because she remembered back on the first time she had walked there. Remus kept shooting her glances, and Helena couldn't blame him. While they got along, at this point they weren't much more than acquaintances. He was probably wondering why she had asked him to come with. Well, she had done it because she wanted to become his friend. They were well on their way, but this could only help... she hoped.

As they walked around a bend in the road, Hogwarts Castle came into view on top of a cliff on the other side of the lake. Gasps was heard all around. Helena got tears in her eyes as she looked upon the school. She was home.

"It's beautiful," she told Remus.

He smiled crookedly. "It is. I think you're going to love it here, no matter which House you're sorted into."

She looked over at him. "Remus, we're friends, aren't we?"

He looked up surprised. "Yeah, we are. Ignoring the fact that you're James's sister, I quite enjoy being in your presence."

"I enjoy talking with you, too," Helena smiled. "Promise me that even if I don't get sorted into Gryffindor, that we'll still talk some?"

"Of course," Remus chuckled. "I don't doubt that I will see you around, even if you aren't in Gryffindor. But, seriously, I don't think you have anything to worry about. That hat would be mad to sort you into any other House than Gryffindor."

Far too soon the boat ride was over, and they were standing in front of McGonagall. Like with Dumbledore, Helena was surprise at just how much more at peace the Transfiguration Professor seemed to be at. The upcoming war really had worn her out.

"Mr Lupin," Professor McGonagall said in a surprised tone. "What are you doing here?" As she looked at the werewolf, he become flustered.

"I asked him to take the boat ride with me," Helena stepped in. "James and Sirius wouldn't let me go alone, as stupid as that sound. I invited Remus to come with, as I knew he wouldn't try to scare the First Years."

Helena saw McGonagall's mouth twitch for a moment, but she didn't smile. That in turn made Helena smile. She knew McGonagall had to keep up an image of being stern for the First Years. But she couldn't fool Helena. The two of them had become very close back from where she came.

"I see," the Professor nodded. "Mr Lupin, you can go on ahead and enjoy the feast."

"Yes, Professor McGonagall," Remus nodded. "I'll see you later, Helena." He walked around McGonagall and hurried ahead.

"You must be the Miss Potter Professor Dumbledore has spoken about," Professor McGonagall noted, an undertone of curiosity present in her voice.

"Yes, ma'am," Helena nodded.

"Good thinking regarding not allowing Mr Potter and Mr Black to escort you. They would surely delay the Sorting. I see that Professor Dumbledore's praise isn't entirely misplaced."

Helena didn't get to answer as the Transfiguration Professor turned to the rest of the First Years and did the same speech that she would do for the next twenty years at least. Helena had heard it all before, but made sure to look attentive. She really would like to have a close relationship with the Transfiguration Professor again, if it was at all possible.

It wasn't long before they stood before the oaken doors of the Great Hall, and before Helena could blink, she and the First Years were ushered through. Many would shrink in on themselves when close to a thousand people were looking at you. For Helena, however, it wasn't something new. While she got curious looks shot her way, no one recognized her 'Helichrysa Potter, The-Girl-Who-Lived'. From what she heard on the train, people knew that there would be a transfer student. So she was recognized as that. But it was nothing like getting the awed looks she got from where she came from. It was a nice change of pace.

After the Sorting Hat's traditional song the Sorting Began. First were the A's – Andrews, Avery, Azelda –, then the B's and so on. Finally when Professor McGonagall dismissed one Charlie O'Malley who was Sorted into Hufflepuff did Helena truly pay attention again.

"Potter, Helichrysa," Professor McGonagall called out.

Helena eyebrow twitched as she heard very familiar laugh from the Gryffindor table. Yes, she had managed to keep her first name hidden from Sirius and James, knowing they would make fun of it. It wasn't as if she thought she could keep it hidden forever, but... oh well.

Helena sighed and stepped up to the stool, sat down, and got the hat placed on her head. Unlike in her First Year where the hat had all but enveloped her head, it now instead simply sat on top of her head. She kind of wished that it would've gone past her eyes again – she had no idea what she should be looking at as it Sorted her.

'_Well, well, well, what do we have here?_' the Hat's voice sounded in her head. '_I've never had to Sort someone twice. Though, your circumstances are... unparalleled._'

'_So you haven't heard of anyone like me before_?' Helena asked the Hat. Hey, he had looked into several thousand people's heads. Perhaps there had been someone before her.

'_Never, not once,_' the Hat answered. '_Oh, how Rowena would've loved to talk to you. But alas, you overshot her by a thousand years, give or take a decade_.' Helena's mouth twitched in amusement. Who knew the Hat had humour. '_Now, let's see... You were Gryffindor in your reality, and well deserved at that. Defeating a troll in your First Year, a Basilisk in your Second, a hundred Dementors in your Third, Tri-Wizard Champion in your Fourth, fought and survived Death Eaters in your Fifth, and defeating a Dark Lord. And not once did you cover._'

'_I was frightened shitless most of the time,' _Helena couldn't help but correct.

'_True, but that wasn't what I said. Courage isn't the absence of fear, oh Woman-Who-Conquered. Courage is doing what must be done despite fearing it_,' the Hat told her. '_You are a true Gryffindor through and through. But with that said, you have qualities belonging to the three other Houses as well. An extremely talented witch, who would do Ravenclaw proud. And such loyalty I haven't seen in a long time – you would rather die than see the people you love getting hurt... And cunning as well, __**and**__ a Parselmouth._'

'_It seems you're just as indecisive here as you were there,_' Helena noted with amusement. '_I should tell you that people are starting to get restless. While I truly enjoy talking to an interesting individual such as yourself, perhaps we should wait for another time for that._'

'_Humph, no one's dared to talk to me like that since Godric's time._' The hat was silent for a few moments, and Helena's nervousness rose. '_Better be __**GRYFFINDOR!**__'_

The Hat was lifted from her head as the Hall erupted into applause. Helena looked up to see Dumbledore nod at her with a twinkle in his eyes. She gave him a small smirk before walking over to the Gryffindor table, sitting between James and Remus.

"I told you that you didn't have anything to worry about," James told her cheekily.

"That you did," Helena smiled.

"Your name is _Helichrysa_!?" Sirius guffawed.

Helena narrowed her eyes. "Listen here, dog-boy. If you want to have any fun with girls in the broom closets this year, you will _never_ call me by that name. And I won't be preventing your fun by locking the doors, mind you."

Sirius paled drastically, and Helena saw him shift as to protect his precious parts. The students in the immediate area laughed it up.

"Seriously, you are no fun at all," Sirius accused of her with a pout.

"Not your kind of fun, no, and damned proud of it," Helena told him with a cheek.


	6. Another Arrogant Potter

**Disclaimer:** I do not own anything of Harry Potter. Everything is owned by the amazing Joanne Rowling. I have merely taken the liberty of playing with her amazing work.

**The Jump**

**Chapter Six:** Another Arrogant Potter

~ Helichrysa Dorea Potter ~

A smile adorned Helena's face as she woke up on September 2nd. The sight that greeted her was the canopy of the ruby-red bed that was now hers, and it made her feel completely at ease. As much as she was starting to think of Potter Manor as a home to her, no other place would ever be able to replace the place in her heart that Hogwarts Castle held. Hogwarts was her first true home: it was a place that had accepted her wholeheartedly as she was, and it had been where she had felt safe. The irony of the statement didn't escape her, as she had been attacked more inside of the school than outside... _But_! Each time she had been attacked, the Castle had been watching over her.

The young witch sat up in bed and stretched. Sweeping the drapes of her bed to the side, she was unsurprised to see the other girls of the dormitory fast asleep. A quick _Tempus_ charm revealed the time to only be a few minutes past six in the morning – That meant that classes wouldn't start for another three hours. Normally the classes started half past eight and not nine, but with it being the day after the entirety of the student body having travelled all the way from London (and beyond), the teachers gave the students another half hour that morning. But, like back in the Potter Manor, Helena was always one to wake up early.

Grabbing her toiletries from her trunk, Helena tiptoed across the dormitory and into the shared bathroom, where she quietly shut the door as to not wake the other girls. Putting the toiletries by one of the sinks right by the shower she had uses since First Year – or would've used? –, the witch stripped of her tee and shorts, turned on the water, and groaned in pleasure as she stepped under the cascade.

The previous day, as pleasant as it had been, had also been exhausting. The foremost reason for her exhaustion had been meeting people she had known from Before all over again, and thus getting mentally assaulted by memories of them. It had been unnerving to look over the Great Hall during dinner, and spot people she knew already was, or would soon be, Death Eaters. The majority of those people had sat at Slytherin Table, but also the Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw tables dined their fair share of future Death Eaters. Even Gryffindor Table hadn't been without, with Peter having sat across the table from her. Multiple times she had repeated the mantra 'They're not the people you knew' over and over again in her head. She couldn't go around taking matter into her own hands. She was not a judge, and she most certainly wasn't an executioner. In addition to that, it was simply _wrong_ to punish people for actions that they had yet to commit. With that said, it didn't hurt to take precautions against them.

She had seen Lily during dinner, but it wasn't before they had made it back to the dormitory they shared that they got to greet each other. It had been... tense. Not exactly how Helena had envisioned their first meeting. Helena had underestimated just how annoyed Lily was with James at this point in time, and because Helena was James's new sister, Lily had expected the same behaviour from Helena as she did from James. It had hurt more than Helena wanted to admit, being rejected by Lily. Thankfully Emmeline Vance, the girl Helena had met in Diagon Alley that day with Dorea, had stepped in and calmed Lily down. After a reminder of how Helena had cowed Sirius with a single threat at the Feast, they got talking. Lily was still wary, but at least she now gave Helena a chance.

The evening in the dormitory went by quickly with Helena getting to know the other girls, if only a bit. Apart from Lily and Emmeline Vance, there was two other Sixth Year Gryffindor girls, named Dorcas Meadowes and Marlene McKinnon. Dorcas Meadowes had been killed by Tom himself shortly after she joined the Order in 1979, and Marlene McKinnon was killed along with the rest of her family in the latter half of 1981. That meant that the entirety of the 1971 Gryffindors had joined the Order of the Phoenix. What more, by the time Helena was born only Peter, Sirius, and Remus was alive... And by the time Tom was finally vanquished, they, too, were dead. An entire year of Gryffindors dead because of Tom's insanity. That was too much.

It was quickly revealed that Emmeline, who insisted on going by her full name, was a very optimistic person. Each time a even remotely dark subject was approached, she had a way of turning it around. It was a bit much for Helena. While it was true that if they had to be killed by any curse, the Killing Curse was preferred, since it was instantaneous and pain free (unless you came back from it, because then it hurt like hell), Helena would never say someone was _lucky_ because they got killed with it. That said, just because Emmeline was optimistic, didn't mean she didn't know what was going on. They hadn't talked much about Tom and his merry gang, only approaching it when the other girls had inquired why Helena now lived with James and his parents, but when they did Emmeline, too, got serious.

Lily was just like Professor McGonagall had made her out to be. She was hardworking, feisty, honest, and loving. Though, towards Helena she was just suspicious. She was kind of like a 'Hermione Light' in the way that she loved books, but she wasn't fanatic about it. And she really seemed like a girl who abided by the rules at almost any cost. That was very different from Helena, who had broken her fair share of rules over the years. But Lily hadn't. It was really no wonder that she clashed with James as much as she did.

Marlene McKinnon was hilarious, Helena thought. In the good way. She was Scottish like Professor McGonagall, but, unlike the Transfiguration Professor, had no restraint. She was loud, wild, told jokes in almost every other sentence, and truly couldn't give a fuck what other people thought of her. The unique air she exuded was only enhanced by her appearance. She was of average height and build, not exactly thin as Lily, Emmeline, and Dorcas was, nor slightly muscled like Helena was, but definitely not fat either. Her hair fell in vivid red curls down to her shoulder, being just as unrestrained as the head it grew from. Her eyes were the clearest blue that Helena had ever seen, which sat in a face of slightly rough features.

Helena knew right away that the two of them was going to get along just fine.

The last girl of their year, Dorcas Meadowes, who preferred to go by 'Cas, couldn't be more different than Marlene. She was quiet, reserved, polite, and slightly insecure. She was a petite thing, with mousy-brown hair falling to just past her ears, brown eyes, and delicate features. She had mostly sat smiling and listening, only answering when she was talked to directly. Helena put her to be the kind of person who would be mortified when they had to get to the front of the class and present something. _However_, when they had talked of Tom, a steel glint had entered her eyes. It was clear that if anyone thought that shy people couldn't be brave, then they would only have to take a glance Dorcas and they would be disproven.

All in all, Helena could imagine her fitting in just fine. Though Dorcas and Emmeline was a bit girlish at times, they were nowhere near as bad as Lavender and Pavarti. And Helena had Lily and Marlene in the dormitory as well, so she wouldn't drown in fashion questions. Still, as she had sat there with them, a wave of sadness had rushed over her. They all knew each other, they were best friends. It wasn't guaranteed that Helena would have that with them. But that wasn't what had made her truly sad. No, Helena had thought of the people _she_ had that kind of relationship with – Hermione, Ron, Ginny, Luna, Neville –, and had again been confronted with the fact that she wouldn't see them again (at least not for a few years, but never as her friends again).

With a sigh Helena exited the bath, wrapped a towel around her body, quickly brushed her teeth and hair, and walked back into the dormitory. By then the other girls were starting to rouse.

"You must've been up early," Lily yawned. Helena mouth twitched as she saw the red hair going everywhere it shouldn't.

"I usually am," Helena answered, as she opened the trunk to get her uniform. "I've been like that since I was small."

"I wish I was a morning person," Marlene grunted out, while she rather unattractively scratched her stomach. She looked under her nails. "Don't get me wrong, I love sleeping. But if I was a morning person, I wouldn't have such a hard time getting out of bed this early in the morning."

"I'm not a morning person," Helena smiled. "It's pure habit."

Marlene grunted. "You still have it easier than me."

After getting dressed the Metamorphmagus went straight to the Great Hall for her much needed morning tea. It wasn't a surprise that only a few other students had made it down by that time, as it couldn't be much more than twenty minutes to seven or so. And it was expected that there was no one at the Gryffindor table – the House of the Brave were usually the last ones up. There was even only one of the Professors present at the head table, though Helena couldn't identify her. Sitting down at the table, Helena poured herself a cup of tea, grabbed a scone, and grabbed one of the Daily Prophets which already laid on the table.

Bit by bit, the students started coming down from the towers and up from the dungeons. The girls from the dormitory greeted her a good morning, but didn't sit with her. At Lily's still suspicious look, Helena guessed that it was because of the Prefect that they left her alone. That hurt, a lot. But Helena had been through worse. Lily just needed some time to see that she wasn't like her adoptive brother. Hopefully not too much time.

As some of the last people to get to the Great Hall, the Marauders entered looking absolutely hammered. With bags under their eyes, and their clothes looking more dishevelled than usual they walked over to the Gryffindor Table. As they sat down around her, James and Sirius sitting down on either side of her and Remus and Peter sitting across from them, they as one put their heads on the table and groaned.

"Good morning," she greeted them, purposely making her voice overly cheerful. There was another round of groans, and Sirius raised his head only to shoot her a dark look worthy of his lineage, before dropping his head again. "Long night?"

"Of course," James grinned tiredly at her. "We can't get back to Hogwarts without celebrating it."

"And what about classes?"

"Ah, don't worry about that," Peter answered. "The teachers has started to expect it."

Helena shot him a dead look. "That isn't exactly a good thing, you know."

"I couldn't agree more," Professor McGonagall's voice sounded as she approached them. She looked over the Marauders and looked rather disapproving at them. But Helena could see the fondness in her eyes. She really was like a really stern mother, who only cared about her children.

"Good morning, Professor," Helena greeted her.

"Good morning. I have your timetables for you here," she told them as she handed each of them a piece of parchment. "I must say, Miss Potter, that your timetable is rather ambitious."

"It is," Helena agreed. "But I'm sure I can handle it."

McGonagall raised an eyebrow at her, but Helena didn't waver. A small smile spread on the elderly witch's lips. "Very well. I will look forward to seeing you in my class, then."

"Me too," Helena smiled.

McGonagall nodded before walking further down along the Gryffindor table, to the next cluster of students. Suddenly the Marauders didn't look so sleepy, and looked inquiringly at her.

"Helena... Exactly how many N.E.W.T. subjects are you taking?" James asked carefully, almost as if he was scared of the answer.

"DADA, Charms, Transfiguration, Potions, Arithmancy, Ancient Runes, Herbology, Care of Magical Creatures, and Astronomy," Helena rattled off.

Yes, it was _a lot_ of subject, but Helena was confident she could do it. Besides, she hadn't even been the one who had the most N.E.W.T. subjects in her year. Three guesses of who had more subjects than her, and the latter two guesses didn't count. Hermione had also chosen History of Magic.

Helena admitted that she would have to work hard to not only pass the subjects, but keep up her good grades. But the thing was, she truly loved learning. To learn something new, to put it into practice... that was just her. She was confident that she was going to keep studying after she had graduated Hogwarts, no matter where she would go from there. Perhaps she would even study for a Warlock degree (similar to a Ph.D. in the Muggle world) somewhere down the line.

Then there was also the fact that she was going to participate in a War. Hermione had been invaluable during the Horcrux hunt and during all of her year at Hogwarts, and much of it was because of her almost unparalleled knowledge of... everything. Helena didn't know if she would need to know about some plant or constellation to defeat Tom this time around, but she would rather have the knowledge and not need it, than not have the knowledge and actually need it.

"Have you gone barmy!?" Sirius exclaimed. It drew a few looks. "Not even Moony has taken so many N.E.W.T.'s, and he along with Evans are the top students our year."

"I don't think Lily has taken so many N.E.W.T.'s either," Peter told them.

"Yeah, I thought you just wanted to teach," James said. When she shot him a look, his eyes widened. "Not that there is anything wrong with teaching. It came out wrong, but you know what I meant."

"Look, I _like_ learning," Helena told them. "And it's not likely that I will be able to graduate from here, and then just become a teacher right away. I will need some experience out in the world." She didn't voice the War thing, since she really didn't want to argue with James right now. And, yes, he would argue with her if she brought it up.

"All right," James conceded. Then he smiled. "It's going to be hard, you know. But if anyone can do it, it would be you."

"I agree," Remus nodded. "There isn't many who would be able to do nonverbal spells before Sixth Year, but..." he looked meaningful at her.

"Thanks," Helena blushed. "What N.E.W.T. classes have you guys chosen to take?"

"Well," James started. "Since I want to become an Auror, I've taken DADA, Transfiguration, Charms, Potions, and Herbology."

"I've taken the same," Sirius answered. "Though I've taken Astronomy as well."

"What would you need Astronomy for?" Remus asked with a frown.

"Well," Sirius coughed. "You know, I love it. Everyone in my family is named after a constellation or a star. So... yeah."

"Oh, drop the act, Padfoot," James laughed. He turned to Remus. "The prat just wants to meet girls. Astronomy only ever has one or two male students at N.E.W.T. level."

"Sounds like him," Helena laughed lightly, taking another sip of tea. "What about you, Remus?"

"DADA, Charms, Transfiguration, Potions, Ancient Runes, Care of Magical Creatures, and History of Magic," Remus answered. At her inquiring look he shrugged. "I don't really know what i want to become once I graduate quite yet, so I've tried to spread the subjects out to be ready for anything."

Helena had to fight herself to not look pitying at him. It wasn't that he didn't know what he wanted to become, but that he knew that not many would ever hire him with him being what he was. He would wander from job to job, never settling down. It was a sad testament that the longest assignment he had had, was spying on the werewolf population during both wars. Almost without thinking, that was another thing that was added to the list of things she wanted to change. She didn't how she could do it, but she would do her best. Just like she knew the Marauders would, now that they wouldn't be dead or in hiding or imprisoned in Azkaban.

"Makes sense," Helena smiled. "And while the teachers have an obligation to push to make a decision, most of us were sixteen at most when they wanted an answer. We have a whole life in front of us, a much longer one than what Muggles can expect. I can't say that I will in fifty year still want to teach. You have as much time as you need."

Remus smiled. "Thank, Helena."

"I've taken DADA, Charms, Transfiguration, and History of Magic," Peter answered. "I'm not sure either what I want to do, but I'm thinking some Ministry job."

"Any particular department?" Helena asked curious.

Peter shrugged. "Maybe Department of Magical Law Enforcement? I won't kid myself with thinking that I could become an Auror like Sirius and James here, but if I worked in that Department I could still work with them from time to time perhaps?"

James and Sirius smiled at that.

"Peter, you do know that we would see each other, even if we won't work together, right?" James asked.

"Yeah, we're Marauders," Sirius grinned. "No one gets left behind."

"I know," Peter stated. But he looked awfully relieved that they had said it out loud.

Helena couldn't help but wonder what could happen in the next few years, that not only made Peter betray his friends, but actually join up with the Death Eaters. She might not be comfortable around him, but she had admitted to herself weeks ago that Peter was in no way evil. Helena had wondered many times in her past (or future... it was still confusing) how 'Wormtail' had fit into the group of friends that was the Marauders. The slimy rat-man that she had known was nothing like this boy. Because this boy actually fit in. He cared about his friends, he laughed with them, he joked with them. Honestly, Helena could see him jump in front of a Killing Curse to save them. Whatever had happened had to have happened after Hogwarts.

Helena mentally groaned. That list had just grown again. Perhaps she should write it down, so she didn't worry about forgetting about something important?

At half past eight, Helena dragged Sirius and James up to get their things for their double period Herbology. Remus and Peter had a free period as they didn't take the subject, and looked mighty amused at how the young witch handled the two troublesome boys. If they had had it their way, they would most likely be late by a few minutes. Helena would give that thirty minutes was _normally_ plenty of time to class, but as they hadn't had their timetables before coming down here, they needed to get up to Gryffindor Tower to get their things, _and_ the greenhouses were on the opposite side of the Castle from the Tower.

When the three finally made it down to Greenhouse Four with three minutes to spare, the two boys were suddenly very grateful. Well, it wasn't as if they said thanks, more that they grunted when she pointed it out.

It wasn't long after the class had started before they were sorted into teams of two, in which they would work for the next two years. Sorted by name. So it was with extreme satisfaction that she sat down with a grinning James.

"So, what do you want to grow for our first project?" James asked.

Professor Betula had a different teaching method than Professor Sprouts would have in the nineties. Whereas Professor Sprouts had a more strict plan she went by, teaching to the class as a whole, Professor Betula was giving the students more freedom – at least after they had taken their O.W.L.'s. Each pair were to chose a plant to grow in the first semester, and when something came up the class would gather around one pair's plant, and learn something.

"Well," Helena started to answer. "Have you heard about the Venomous Tentacula?"

It was the plant the first plant Helena had worked with in N.E.W.T. Herbology back in her timeline. It might be slightly unimaginative, but they had only worked with it for two lessons. Here they would learn to grow it – and in the process learn to avoid getting injured by it.

"Yeah, I have," James answered, his eyes lighting up. "There was a student two years ago who was admitted to the Hospital Wing because one broke his arm."

Helena looked surprised. "That is unlucky. While they can hurt you, they rarely injure you to the point where you need serious medical attention."

James grinned. "That is Frank for you."

"Longbottom?" Helena asked.

"Yeah," James nodded. "You heard about him?" He looked inquiringly at her.

"Only in passing this morning," Helena thought the excuse up fast. "Alice Nelson from Seventh Year gushed about him before you came down."

"No wonder," James laughed. "The two of them were all over each other when Frank was still enrolled. It's going to be hard for her now that he is graduated."

Helena nodded. "All right. But Venomous Tentacula? Yes or no?"

"Yes, sure," James shrugged. "It sounds interesting."

~ Helichrysa Dorea Potter ~

The first day of classes went well. The whole morning had been spent in the Greenhouse Four sitting with James preparing their project. They hadn't got to the point where they had started planting anything, instead making a plan for what they needed to do to grow the healthiest Venomous Tentacula. Helena knew that while James wasn't conventionally smart, he wasn't stupid either. However, what she failed to account, was his creativity. While the Girl-Who-Lived had already known that she was going to enjoy working with her brother, James creativity had just made her look so much forward to it.

After lunch she had a period of Charms. It seemed like the subject most people had chosen for their N.E.W.T. years. The ninety minutes were used on getting a lecture from Professor Flitwick about what to expect in the next two years, proceeded by the class trying to turn vinegar into wine. Helena, for obvious reasons, already knew how to, and had done it on her first try, earning her ten points to Gryffindor. She used the rest of the class coaching the Marauders. At the end, Remus managed to turn his vinegar completely into wine, and Sirius managed to do it about halfway. Her coaching earned yet another five points to Gryffindor, much to her embarrassment.

The last period for the day was a double period of Defence Against the Dark Arts (yes, Mondays were her longest days, not counting Thursdays where she had to get to the Astronomy Tower at midnight for Astronomy). Even more so than in the nineties, surely because of the different circumstances, DADA was the largest N.E.W.T. class. Twenty-four students attended the class on Fifth Floor: nine Gryffindors (which meant all of them), six Ravenclaws, six Hufflepuffs, and three Slytherins.

The animosity between the House of the Snake and the three other Houses was almost palpable in the classroom. The rivalry was still alive in the nineties, as it had been for the last millennia, but this... was extreme. The Snakes had retreated down to a corner of the classroom, while the other three Houses sat mingled together, but at least one seat away from the Slytherins. It honestly made Helena frown. It was true that almost all Death Eaters were Slytherins, but that didn't mean that all Slytherins were Death Eaters. While no Slytherins had fought _against_ Tom and his followers, neither had they all sided with him. But that was just the Slytherin way. One of the families that had acted liked that was the Greengrass family. And how Helena know that? She had befriended (or maybe that was taking it too far) Daphne Greengrass in the nineties.

Helena did a double-take when she saw one Severus Snape sit in the corner. He looked... sad. And angry. She couldn't blame him: it couldn't be more than a few months since his fallout with Lily. While she felt sympathy for her, she felt nothing more than that.

It was true that in her timeline Snape had been protecting her to the best of his abilities, but that didn't remedy him of all he had done in her opinion. One thing that had hit Helene rather hard, was that if Tom had decided that Neville was the child in the Prophecy instead of her, Snape wouldn't have gone to Dumbledore. The only reason he changed from the Dark side to the Light side was because it suddenly become personal. Helena would admit that he had been invaluable during his time as a spy, and he might even have earned a pardon for his crimes... But people shouldn't start expecting her to love Snape or name one of her children after the man. If she was going to do that, she would most likely name one of them after Molly or Arthur.

She shook the thoughts from her head.

The tension was cut as the DADA teacher entered the classroom from his office. From the looks the other students gave him, he was new. But, then again, that wasn't a surprise: Dumbledore had told her that no DADA teacher had lasted more than a single year, ever since Tom had applied for the job and had subsequently been declined. One could only hope that the 'curse' would be broken once Tom was killed.

"Good afternoon, class," the Professor spoke in a thick Irish accent. He was in his fifties or so, and the look he had in his eyes told Helena that he wasn't new to fighting.

A echoing murmur of 'Good afternoon, Professor'. It made the Professor smile. That was good: at least he wasn't another Umbridge. Thinking of the woman made Helena clench her left hand into a fist, making the scar tissue more visible than normal. It was too easy to read the 'I must not tell lies'. Bitch.

"... Twenty, twenty-one, twenty-two, twenty-three, twenty-four," the Professor murmured to himself. "Well, it's nice to see so many interested in the subject. Now, I am Professor Jones," Professor Jones presented himself, flicking his wand towards the blackboard. His name was clearly written in white chalk. "I was an Auror up until two years ago, where I needed to retire due to my health not allowing me to continue such an active lifestyle. That didn't sit with me, so when Professor Dumbledore approached me to teach Defence Against the Dark Arts here at Hogwarts, I accepted."

That got the class's attention. Aurors not in service were rare these days. Even those who had retired had gone back to active service due to Tom's attacks. That Professor Jones had actually retired spoke to how serious his health issue was. Not serious in the way that he could hurt himself (though he most likely could), but that he could bring other Aurors and innocent bystanders in danger.

What also caught Helena's attention was that Dumbledore personally had approached Jones. He didn't do that often: the only time that Helena knew of, was with Professor Horace Slughorn in the summer of '96 – and that was because the Headmaster had needed a memory. That Dumbledore had approached Jones probably meant that he was a member of the Order. If that was the case, it was no wonder Dumbledore had hired him as a Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher: he could inform the Headmaster of any potential members for the Order, at least once they had graduated.

"I'm glad to see I got your attention," the Professor nodded. "As your instruction in the subject so far has been... uneven at best, you have yet to have a consistent curriculum. I will do my best to mend any gaps in your knowledge from your previous years, while teach you what needs to be taught to pass your N.E.W.T.'s."

A Ravenclaw girl raised her hand.

"Yes, miss... ?" Professor Jones asked.

"Miss Amber," the Ravenclaw answered. "Sir, we've all passed our O.W.L.'s with at least an Exceeds Expectations to be here. Doesn't that mean that all of us actually do have a handle on Defence Against the Dark Arts, even if we haven't had a single teacher for more than a year at the time."

"Good point," Professor Jones smiled. "While it is true that you have passed your O.W.L.'s with a fine grade, there is no possible way that such an exam can cover every single subject you should've been taught over your first five years of Magical Education. I plan on glossing over things I can see people know well, while going into more depth of the things that I see lacking. And before you ask why I'm doing that, it is because you need to have a foundation of knowledge before you can start learning the more advanced stuff. How can I teach you a concept, which builds on a concept, which builds on some fundamental knowledge that you don't have?"

"You can't," a Hufflepuff boy answered.

"Correct," Professor Jones nodded, pointing his wand at the boy. "Now, I have three N.E.W.T. classes this year, two of them from your own year, and another is for Seventh Year. I will not make a single plan for all three classes, because of before mentioned reasons. That said, we all need to start somewhere, and with my experience as an Auror, I think it would be optimal to start by seeing how your duelling skills are. While duelling a fellow wizard or witch isn't the same as going up against a Dragon or a Sphinx, you need to think quick and be quick with your wand for both. So get up and banish your tables to the edge of the classroom, and I will pair you up two-and-two. We will have a little tournament – and, yes, I have a price for whoever wins. Nothing too fancy, mind you, but I find it easier to do something, when I know there is a reward."

"Ha, I'm so going to win this," James smirked.

Helena threw an identical smirk. "Don't be so sure."

They stood like that grinning to each other, only stopping when Remus groaned loudly besides them.

"You two are so much alike that it's scare sometimes," Remus told them. "Seriously, you are worse than James and Sirius together."

Sirius gasped, and looked very affronted. "Take that back, Moony! Right this instant."

"Scared I'm going to take your boyfriend away from you, Little Siri?" Helena taunted.

"I don't know. Am I, _Helichrysa_?" Sirius shot back. The smirk that had been on his face was quickly wiped off at the dark look she shot him. He paled drastically when Helena began to raise her wand – only to be saved by Professor Jones who partnered her with a boy from Ravenclaw. Helena shot Sirius a look, telling him that the incident wouldn't go unpunished. She felt immense satisfaction when she saw him gulp, and the other three Marauders laughing at his predicament.

"Another Potter," the Ravenclaw drawled as she stood in front of him. In a moment Helena's face had changed from a friendly smile to a dead look. She knew that Ravenclaw had its fair share of arrogant people (though, not the aristocratic arrogance that Slytherin House was famous for), but did she _really_ have to be partnered up with the only one in the class?

"Indeed," Helena drawled. "Do you have a problem with it?"

"Your brother is an idiot," he scoffed. "This won't be a challenge at all. I would almost prefer a Slytherin over a Potter."

"I see," Helena said in a cold voice.

"Get into positions," Professor Jones voice rung over the classroom, from his position in the front. Helena raised her wand, as did the Ravenclaw boy. He had an arrogant smirk on his face. Helena narrowed her eyes. He was going down. "Wands at the ready... Duel!"

"Accio left shoe! Expelliarmus!" Helena cried, her wand moving in one fluid motions from the Summoning Charm to the Disarming Charm. The Ravenclaw boy had only been halfway through a Stunning Spell when his left shoe flew out from under him, tripping him backwards in the process. He hadn't even hit the ground before his wand flew out of his hand as well, which was promptly caught by the Metamorphmagus.

The duel had ended before it had even started.

"Not a challenge, huh?" Helena drawled at the boy, as she twirled his wand.

"Very good, Miss Potter," Professor Jones clapped. He helped the Ravenclaw boy up. "You, my boy, need to learn not to underestimate your opponent. Magic doesn't discriminate on size or look. Don't forget that."

"Yes, sir," the boy nodded, feeling very embarrassed. He turned to Helena. "I... apologize for my mistake."

"All right," Helena nodded, handing him his wand back. "I forgive you."

"That was some impressive wand handling." The boy smiled. "I'm Robert. Robert Cameron." He extended his hand as a greeting.

"Helena Potter, though you knew that already," Helena greeted back. Hey, she was not one to hold a grudge... much. Keep in mind that she was a girl, and if someone hit at home with an insult, she could keep at it for months. It wasn't something she was especially proud of, but she wouldn't lie to herself and say it wasn't so.

"Perhaps you could some time give me some pointers on how to handle my wand so quickly?" He asked.

"Perhaps."

Twenty seconds later the last of the other students had ended their duelling. It wasn't really a surprise that the Marauders had won their duels. The half that had lost was guided to sit on the table of the edge of the room, while the winning half was partnered up again. This time she was partnered up with Dempster Wiggleswade of Hufflepuff. Unlike Robert, he started out with a smile.

"You're James's sister, yeah?" Dempster asked. Again, unlike Robert, he wasn't arrogant, just curious. "I'm Dempster, though just call me Demp."

"All right, Demp," Helena nodded. "Yeah, I'm James's new sister. Though, biologically we're cousins twice removed or something like that."

"James's is hilarious. You must love living with him," Dempster grinned.

"Indeed," Helena smiled back.

"Wands at the ready!" the Professor shouted again. "Begin!"

"_Stupefy_!" Helena shouted, shooting the Stunning Spell at the Hufflepuff. Dempster was faster than Robert, however, and managed to raise a shield right in time. Helena smirked, but didn't let up. "Tarantallegra! Petrificus Totalus!"

Dempster jumped to the left, effectively dodging the Dancing Feet Spell, and cast another _Protego_ to nullify the Full Body-Bind Curse. Then he went on the offensive.

"Aquamenti!" he shouted. From his wand sprouted an impressive amount of water. He clearly was proficient in the Charm. Helena ducked under it, though that seemed to be what the Hufflepuff boy had expected. "Rictusempra!"

Normally a Tickling Charm would be relatively harmless, only serving as a distraction. But if the Aquamenti spell was anything to dodge by, Dempster was very good with his Charms, which meant that a simple Tickling Charm could incapacitate her. It was impressive. But she would lose to day.

"Protego Recolo!" Helena cast a reflective shield. Instead of being annulled, which it would with a normal Shielding Charm, the Tickling Charm bounced off of Helena's shield, back at the unsuspecting Hufflepuff.

Dempster's eyes widened, but again his quick reflexes saved him. He cast himself to the left just in time, but lost his footing. Helena smirked.

"_Silencio! Petrificus Totalus! Incarcerous! Expelliarmus!"_ Helena threw off the four spells in a single, chained motion.

Dempster only just got onto his feet again when the first spell hit. He tried to cast a Shielding Charm to avoid getting hit by more, but without being able to speak, only a few sparks were emitted from his wand. He could only observe as he was hit with the Full Body-Bind Curse hit him. Stiff as a board he fell to the floor, the Incarcerous binding him in thick ropes. Finally the wand came flying out of his petrified hand, which she caught like she had with so many others.

"My, my, Miss Potter. You just keep on impressing me," Professor Jones complimented her. "That was the Duellers Hello, wasn't it? Oh, and please release Mr Wiggleswade."

"Sure," Helena smiled. "_Finite_."

The ropes vanished and Dempster unfroze. He got up with a wince.

"Ouch. Robert wasn't kidding when he told me to watch out," he grinned embarrassedly. She handed back his wand.

She turned to watch the other duels still going on. To her amusement James was duelling Lily. They were both extremely talented, but James had the upper hand with his sharp reflexes he had developed as a Chaser. And then there was Sirius who was duelling a female Slytherin with a vengeance. Helena did not like the way Sirius was looking at the Snake. It was with pure hatred.

Helena sighed. She couldn't blame him, and she wouldn't hold it against him. But hatred was only bad for the soul, and would do nothing good for you. Hopefully Sirius would learn that.

A minute later Sirius had beat the Slytherin with a nasty Rash Eruption Curse, which caused half her skin to break out in red dots. It wasn't a Dark Curse, but it was one of the nastier ones she had seen in the class.

A moment later James had disarmed Lily.

"Oh, I'm so sorry, Lily-flower!" James cried out. "But you must understand, it isn't personal."

"Sod off, Potter," Lily sneered.

"Lily-flower-" James started, but stopped as Lily snatched her wand back and walked away from him. Sirius laughed at his best mate's misfortune, and James flipped him the bird.

By then only six students were left standing. Helena, Sirius, James, Snape, Dorcas, and a Ravenclaw named Daisy Hodgins. Since they would need to have a 'final' between two students, only the two students who finished their duel first would proceed to the final. That was fine with Helena: another challenge.

When Helena was partnered with Sirius, she all but crackled. Sure, she got shot her share of weird looks, but the look on Sirius face was worth it.

"So, Sirius," she smirked at him as they stood across from each other. "How is your face?"

"Very handsome, thank you," Sirius answered, smiling awkwardly. "Look, that whole Helichrysa incident... We're over that, aren't we?"

"Sure," Helena said sarcastically.

"Wands at the ready," Professor Jones voice. Helena and Sirius raised their wand at each other, like James and Daisy did, and Snape and Dorcas. "Ready... Duel!"

"_Lumos Solemn!_" Helena cast the lighting spell the moment Professor Jones had allowed it. Focusing the light of the spell towards Sirius direction, instead of everywhere. Sirius cried out as he was blinded, making Helena smirk vindictively. Seriously, she wasn't kidding when she said she didn't want to be called Helichrysa – and she did not like being made fun of because of her name.

"_Avis Oppugno!_"

A dozen canaries shot from her wand, immediately attacking Sirius. The moment Sirius heard the spell, his eyes widened. He cried out as their small claws started attacking his face.

"Helena, _you monster_!" he accused her. "_Reducto! Incendio! Stupify!_" he tried killing off the birds. He managed to hit one with a stupefy, and it exploded in a shower of colourful feathers. Unfortunately for the Gryffindor Bachelor, there was still about eleven birds attacking him. All the while Helena stood smirking as she watched the birds tear into her friend.

"Helena, don't you think he has had enough?" Remus asked from the sidelines.

Helena shrugged. "I warned him yesterday. He should have known better."

"He is Sirius," Remus drawled. "Did you honestly think he wouldn't go there?"

"No, I didn't," Helena smirked at the werewolf.

Remus blinked at her. "Helena, sometimes you scare me."

"Thank you."

"All right, I give up!" Sirius cried. "Just make them stop!" Helena blew on her nails and looked at them. "Helena!"

"All right, all right. Jeez," Helena rolled her eyes. With a swish of her wand, the birds exploded in a rain of feathers, which disappeared the moment they touched the floor. Sirius slowly opened his eyes, small scratches adorned his face – again.

"Look at my face!" Sirius lamented. He turned to Moony, pouting. "She did this to me! My beautiful face!"

Remus shrugged. "She warned you."

"That is just cruel."

"And correct," Peter piped in.

"Don't worry," Remus sighed. "I'm sure Madam Pomfrey will be able to make you as good as new."

Sirius pouted as he went to sit beside his two friends. Helena turned to look at the two other duels. Daisy was holding herself against James so far, which was very impressive. Sadly it wasn't enough, as Snape disarmed Dorcas the very next moment, effectively booting James and Daisy out of the competition,

Professor Jones stepped forward clapping. "That was very impressive. It isn't often you see Transfiguration used in duelling, due to the difficulty of casting such spells. But, as you can see, once you are able to do it, they are some of the most helpful spells. And, Snape, the Stomach-Flipping Curse – If you're up against someone who are out to hurt you, sometimes it isn't enough to just disarm, but also incapacitate. And I thank you for not casting it at full strength."

Snape just grunted. All the other Gryffindors, and a great deal of Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws, however, were shooting him nasty looks, as the Gryffindor girls stood around Dorcas. The girl in question looked very green, and Helena wouldn't put it past her to vomit all over the floor. Helena would give that it wasn't a nice curse, but Death Eaters would throw spells which were much worse – like the Cruciatus Curse for instance.

"I must admit to being impressed, with all of you," Professor Jones told them with a big smile. "I didn't expect some of you to be as good as you are, so well done. But we still need to establish who the best dueller in the class is. And in the finally we have Helichrysa Potter-"

"Helena, _please_," Helena groaned. Sirius snickered behind her. Her eye twitched. You would think that having been assaulted by her birds only moments earlier would sober him up, but that wasn't to be.

"Helena, then," Professor Jones corrected. "We have Helena Potter from Gryffindor, and Severus Snape from Slytherin."

Snape was looking acidly at her. Helena frowned: she had done nothing to anger him. But... James had done plenty. If Lily was wary of her because of her relation to James, then Snape was going to hate her guts. Even more so, he might actually try to hurt to get to James. Some people might say that it was unfair to judge Snape like that, as she had even given Peter a chance. But unlike Peter, Snape was glaring holes in her right now. If looks could kill, she would've been ten feet under by now.

She would have to be careful.

"If you two will get into position, then we can finish this little tournament," Professor Jones clapped. "Mr Snape by the blackboard, and Miss Potter by the entrance. Yes, that's it."

Helena got ready, making sure not to look Snape directly into his eyes. She found it doubtful that a sixteen year old would know Legilimency, but it wasn't impossible. She had, after all, learned the Patronus Charm when she was thirteen, and Snap either already had, or would, create several spells this year. Many things could be said by Severus Snape, but he was brilliant.

"Whenever you're ready, _Potter_," Snape sneered. He spat out her family name like it was the worst kind of curse word. Helena wasn't one of those Pureblood fanatics who held their families' honour above all else, but she didn't care for people insulting her family.

"Of course, Snape," Helena told him blandly.

"If you touch my sister, Snivellus-" James started.

"Shut up, James," Helena told him coldly.

"Yes, ma'am."

"Wands at the ready... Duel!"

Compared to the other duels Helena had observed Snape participating in that day, the Slytherin was much more aggressive towards Helena. He had used stronger curses than any other person, as evident with what happened to Dorcas, but he had in each duel dialled the power down to only just incapacitate. Mind you, his curses wouldn't outright kill her now, but they could land her in the Hospital Wing.

As she dodged under a nasty Skin Scratcher Curse she spotted the Marauders for all of a fraction of a second, before she had to dodge another Somersault Jinx. They looked absolutely vivid. Helena was also beginning to feel herself getting thoroughly annoyed. She had done _nothing_ to Snape, and the git was trying to put her into the Hospital Wing.

"Langlok!" Snape gritted out through his teeth. Helena dodged again. "Flippindo! Expelliarmus! Stupefy!"

"Protego!" Helena cried, when she saw that she wouldn't be able to dodge in time. Really, dodging was the best option in a duel, as the Unforgiveables couldn't be blocked by magic, but fortunately for her, Snape wasn't using them. The translucent shield was quickly raised in front of her, the three spells getting annulled by it. Snape narrowed his eyes and tightened his jaw.

"Reducto! Incendio!"

The Reducto broke her shield, and Helena only just managed to dodge the Incendio. Just not completely. The smell of burnt hair reached her nose, telling her that her hair hadn't gone completely unscathed. Snape smirked vindictively.

Oh, if he wanted to play with fire, then he was really going to get it.

Tightening her lips, Helena switched from verbal spells to non-verbal spells. She had stuck to verbal spells, as she saw it as more fair. Yeah, yeah, Death Eaters wouldn't be fair, but she wasn't a Death Eater, and neither was (most) of the other students.

As a long, strong flame shot out of her wand and sped towards Snape, the Slytherin's eyes widened, and he quickly put up his own shield. Helena didn't let up, continuing to barrage Snape with the spell she had used most often against Death Eaters. Flame after flame shot toward Snape, the future Potions Master hastily shielding him in the last moment. If Snape could cast non-verbal spells as proficiently as Helena, then she might actually be in trouble. But as Snape had to use time to actually _say_ the spell, he was only just hanging on by his fingertips. Step by step he retreated as Helena advanced. Suddenly he didn't look so smug.

Finally Snape didn't have time to put his shield up, and he fell backwards at the Incendio thrown at his face. Helena, not being _entirely_ vindictive, dispelled the flames before they could do any real damage. She then shot a non-verbal Stupefy in his chest, knocking the Slytherin out, and disarmed him quickly. The duel ended with Helena catching Snape's wand.

Twirling the mahogany wand in her hand, she smirked rather arrogantly. She then froze when half the class looked at her with wide eyes and a dropped jaw. Oh, she was going to have to answer for this. There went her hopes of being practically unknown this year.

~ Helichrysa Dorea Potter ~

**Author's Notes:** I don't usually do Author's Notes here at the end, but I just wanted to thank everyone for supporting this story. It means a lot. I mean, I'm completely blown away at how fast this story has gotten over eighty reviews, not to mentioned several hundred followers and favourites. It's crazy. So thank you.

I'm confident with saying that this was the last of the 'introduction' chapters, if you get what I mean. There will be a time-jump of a few weeks in the next chapter, and the story will start speeding up. But don't worry, without revealing too much of what I have planned, the story won't end in Sixth Year. I don't know if it will end before the end of Seventh Year, or after it, but around there. I hope you can accept that.

I also want to hear about if I keep going over the same subject. I don't _think_ I am, but I might be. I'm trying slowly to have Helena accept that this is her new home, and that she won't see the people from her timeline again. She will be comparing situations and people from time to time, but it should lessen over time.

Finally, I am thinking of beginning another story. Don't worry, The Jump will still have main priority, but the plot of the other story has been rummaging inside my head for over a week now, and it is actually interfering with my ability to keep spitting out chapters as fast as I have been. Now, I just want to hear what you think of it – you can answer either by review or by PM (if you want to answer, that is).

The other story is another 'Helena Potter'. It starts after Hogwarts, and Helena is pulled to another timeline. Unlike in The Jump, it isn't a timeline accidentally created by going too far back in time, but a timeline which already was 'real'. In the other timeline she hasn't gone back in time. And in the other timeline, she was killed on Halloween 31 1981, and her parents survived. That means that Voldemort was never stopped, and he is still rampaging through the Wizarding World, as he has been ever since his first rise to power.

As you can hear, it is still rather messy and rough about the edges, but let me hear what you think. Again, The Jump still has priority, but I wouldn't mind starting this other story as well – if it interests people.

Synthesis


	7. Not Like Any Other Student

**Disclaimer:** I do not own anything of Harry Potter. Everything is owned by the amazing Joanne Rowling. I have merely taken the liberty of playing with her amazing work.

**The Jump**

**Chapter Seven:** Not Like Any Other Student

~ Helichrysa Dorea Potter ~

The spinning bottle came to a halt, pointing towards the werewolf sitting between James and Peter.

"I dare you to kiss the prettiest girl in the room," Sirius leaned forward towards Remus with a smirk. "And notice I charitably said 'girl' and not 'person'. Because, let's face it, I'd smoke all of the bitches in here."

"Bitches?" Helena asked with a raised eyebrow.

Sirius glanced at her. "Did I say bitches? I meant birds. A slip of tongue, you know."

"I'm sure," Helena snorted.

Sirius looked back at Remus, "Well, who will it be?"

"This is ridiculous!" Remus grit out through his teeth, his face beat red. "I am _not_ just going to walk up to someone and kiss them!"

"Don't be a pussy, Moony," James moaned. "Peter hugged Elizabeth before."

"And got slapped for it," Helena grinned. James and Sirius glared at her. "What? You know it's true. For Merlin's sake, her hand print is still visible on his cheek!"

Peter rubbed his left cheek, where, as Helena had said, a very red mark in for of a hand was visible. "At least it was the left one this time."

"Be as that may be, you're not helping," James hissed under his breath, glancing conspiringly at Remus. Helena gave him a deadpanned look. Remus was still able to hear him. Hell, Lily, who was sitting on the other side of the Common room, could hear him. "Do you want him to kiss someone or not."

"I am _not_ going to kiss anyone!" Remus repeated.

"Oh, for Heaven's sake," Helena rolled her eyes and got up from her chair. Before any of the Marauders could do anything, Helena had grabbed Remus by the collar and hoisted him up, planting her lips on his. Releasing him after a few seconds, Helena sat back down into her chair. "Can we get on with it now?"

Sirius and James were looking at her aghast. Their eyes were wide and their jaws were dropped. Peter wasn't much better, his whole body having frozen the moment she had planted her lips on Remus's. And the poor werewolf was so red in the face that it was a wonder he hadn't fainted yet.

"W-what… What did you just _do_!?" James asked in a shrill voice, drawing looks from the rest of the room.

"I ended that ridiculous argument," Helena told him blandly.

"By _kissing_ him!?"

"Yes?" Helena asked. "Is there a problem with that?"

"Is there a problem with that, she ask…" James muttered to himself. He turned to Sirius. "Padfoot, she has to ask. I thought she was brilliant." He turned back to her. "I thought you were brilliant! You are not allowed to kiss anyone. Ever."

Helena narrowed her eyes, her hair slowly but surely tanking a red tinge. It was a sure-fire way of telling if she was beginning of losing her temper. The other Marauders, having learned not to mess with her like James was at the moment, quickly rose from their seats and moved away. James didn't notice.

"And why is that, exactly?" Helena asked coolly.

"Because you're my sister," James answered as if it was obvious. "Anyone kissing you is in serious trouble."

"The worst kind of trouble," Sirius quipped in. He was promptly ignored.

"Need I remind you that you're not my father?" Helena asked. Mentally she was snorting so hard to the ridiculousness at the statement, but she didn't show it. "You're not even older than I am."

"That doesn't matter!" James insisted, getting up from his chair. "No. Kissing!"

Helena got up from her chair as well, well aware that the rest of the room was looking at them now.

"I can kiss whoever I want, thank you very much!"

"No, you can't!"

"Ugh, you're impossible!" Helena grit out through her teeth. She turned around and stormed towards the girl's dormitory.

"Where are you going? We're not done here!"

"Yes, we are!" Helena spat back at him.

"We ar-"

"James, don't make me hex you!" Helena threatened.

That stopped James in his tracks, and even made him pale slightly. He wasn't the only one: more than a few of the other Gryffindors in the room winced at the threat. It was an unfortunate side-effect of what transpired in her Defence Against the Dark Arts class on Monday.

When the Metamorphmagus was sure that her brother wasn't going to follow after her, she ran up the stairs to the Sixth Years' dormitory. She slammed the door behind her with a resounding bang, which made Dorcas and Marlene, who had been sitting chatting in the room, jump up in surprise. They looked at her with wide eyes.

"Sorry," she apologized to them, as she walked to her bed.

"What's the matter?" Marlene asked in her thick Scottish accent.

"James."

"Ah."

There was really nothing else she needed to say. While it hadn't gotten this bad before, James and she did have their rows. They all stemmed from James caring a lot about her, and Helena was grateful for that, but it was seriously taking overhand. She had briefly spoken to a Sixth Year Slytherin girl she had Arithmancy with, and James had chased the girl away, spells almost flying from his wand. She loved James dearly, but he could be a true git.

Helena sat down on her bed with a sigh, the row with James having taken more of her energy than she would've liked to admit. With nothing else to do, she decided to check if she had packed everything for the Astronomy class at midnight.

It was the Thursday after her having absolutely pummelled Severus Snape in the duelling competition on Monday. Hogwarts was nothing if not a rumour mill, and before she had sat down for supper, everyone in the school had learned of her display in Defence Against the Dark Arts. Even the Marauders had given her slightly queer looks, and they had already known that she was skilled in magic. But it really shouldn't have surprised her: Severus was one of the more gifted students of the year, and she had beaten him in a one-on-one duel. And it wasn't only that she had beaten him in a duel, but the way she had done it: with non-verbal spells, which they were only _just_ about to learn about, and with Incendio spells much stronger than what was normal for the charm. Seriously, it had been created to light fireplaces and candles. If Incendio was ever used in duels, it was normally just to serve as a distraction so another spell could hit. She most likely wouldn't have gotten quite as much attention is she had used the Reducto or Bombarda curses. But, _no_, she just _had_ to use her signature spell. And why? Because she had gotten peeved that Snape had even grazed her with what she perceived to be _her_ spell.

Yeah, it was stupid, but people were allowed to be stupid once in a while.

She had arrived at the school with the hope of being a somewhat normal student for the last two years of her tuition. Sure, a student who was good at the subjects, but nonetheless a _normal student._ Well, that was down the drain now, as everyone was looking at her with slight awe in their eyes, which was what she had hoped to avoid.

The worst part of the whole situation, was that whatever minor progress Helena had made towards Lily was gone. Lily, while not being friends with Snape anymore, apparently still cared for him, and she had been sure that Helena had humiliated the Slytherin on purpose. Had Helena been anyone else than James's sister, Lily might not have jumped to that conclusion, but since she had already had her doubt about Helena… Helena was just relieved that she was friends with the Marauders, because Lily had, intentionally or not, caused the other girls of the year to back off from Helena.

Helena felt like telling them to screw themselves, and that she didn't need them. It reminded her all too much of Fourth Year when no-one believed that she _hadn't_ actually put her name in the Goblet of Fire, and of Fifth Year where the Daily Prophet slandered her and Albus. Why did teenagers, and humans in general, have to be so fickle? To meet someone with a backbone to stand by their beliefs and decisions were rare. Thankfully, Helena had been lucky enough to have known Hermione in her old timeline, and now know the Marauders in this timeline. Even if James got on her nerves from time to time.

Helena had been very surprised when she had returned to the Gryffindor Common Room the evening before, after spending some time in library, only to find Lily and James fighting in the middle of the room. That wasn't a rarity on its own, as Lily kept sneering at James whenever he approached her. But this time James had actually looked well and truly mad, and even yelled back at Lily. And for what reason? Because James was overprotective of her, and he knew how much the situation with Lily bothered her. They had frozen when Helena had entered, starring at her uncertainly. Helena had taken a look at them, before simply going to the corner she usually sat in, and took out her Arithmancy books and began doing her homework.

Helena sighed again. Yes, James might get on her nerves, but he truly loved her and would give his right arm for her. People like that were hard to come by, and Helena would make sure she wasn't going to let him go. Next time she saw him she would apologize for yelling at him and threatening him. Though letting him stew for a few hours wouldn't hurt anyone. Helena still insisted that she could kiss whomever she wanted, and that James had no say in it. Not that there was anyone she _wanted_ to go snogging with at the moment.

Finishing her repacking of her bag, Helena had nothing better to do than to walk to the Astronomy tower. Sure, there was still forty-five minutes until the class started, but sitting at the top of the Astronomy tower beat sitting in a frosty dormitory or down in the Common Room where she would be stared at like she was Merlin himself.

Coming down from the stairs of the girls' dormitory, Helena was surprised to find a bored looking Sirius sitting in a chair just by the stairs. It was with a frown that she rechecked the Common Room, to see if she had missed the other Marauders by chance. She hadn't.

"Sirius?" she asked. Sirius looked up, smiling widely when he saw her.

"You sure took your time," he grinned at her. It only served to increase her frown.

"What are you doing here?" She asked. "Where are the others?"

"They're up in the dormitory already," Sirius waved away. Then he got more serious (sure, laugh it up). "You know that James didn't mean anything bad by…" he trailed off.

"I know," Helena blew a fringe out from her left eye. "And I get that this sibling relationship is new to him as well. But he can't just go around dictating who I can and cannot snog. And he definitely can't go chasing other students away when I'm taking with them, not even if they're Slytherin."

Sirius looked like he very much disagreed with the latter statement, but he was smart enough not to voice it.

"You still haven't said what you are doing down here," Helena told him. "If you don't mind me saying, you looked mighty bored just a few seconds ago."

"I _was _bored," Sirius groaned. "And you're not the only one who has Astronomy now, love."

"But there's forty-five minutes until the class starts," Helena said confused. The Marauders almost always only arrived at the very last possible moment, unless Helena had dragged them with her.

Sirius shrugged. "I guessed that you might feel like going there earlier."

Helena's eyes softened and a small smile spread across her lips. It was scary at times how well Sirius knew her. But that was perhaps also what she liked about him.

"Thank you," she told him sincerely. Sirius grunted and looked away, though Helena could swear she saw a faint blush on his cheeks.

They walked out of the Common Room side by side in silence. While they might be the House that had the longest way to the Greenhouses, they had the shortest way to the Astronomy tower. It was a short five minute walk away.

They had made it to Grand Staircase before Sirius broke the silence.

"Hey, Helena?" he asked. She glanced over at him. "Why don't you use your Metamorphmagus abilities more often? I mean, mostly it's just when you get angry or happy that your hair and eyes change. Why don't you change more?"

"Are you saying that you'd prefer to look differently?" Helena asked amused.

"No, of course not. You're beautiful," he told her. He then seemed to realize what he had said, because he blushed beat red. Helena didn't comment on it, knowing that it would make Sirius feel even more embarrassed, but a wide smile spread on her lips.

"If you must know, I did use to change a lot more," Helena admitted. And it was true, especially in Second, Fourth, and Fifth year. She would change to random students as she walked around the Castle, as to not getting nasty looks and insults thrown her way. It was something she had started to do again when she wasn't with the Marauders.

"But you don't do it anymore?" Sirius asked.

"Not as much, no," Helena told him. "It's just… My appearance is something I have inherited from my family. When I look into the mirror, I see the eyes of my mother and the cheekbones of my father. I don't feel as alone then."

Mentally she winced. She hadn't meant to reveal that much. And as far as Sirius was concerned, she had only just lost her parents a few months ago. In reality she had never known her mother and father, and looking into the mirror had been one of the only ways she could feel connected to them.

"You're not alone," Sirius said after a few moments. "You have James, Remus, Peter, and me. And Mr and Mrs Potter. I would even dare say you have Professor Dumbledore. You know that, right?"

Helena smiled over at him. "I know."

They walked down another hallway before Sirius spoke again, promptly changing the subject to feel more comfortable.

"Are you looking forward to the Quidditch try-outs on Saturday?"

~ Helichrysa Dorea Potter ~

Helena chewed absentmindedly on a piece of buttered toast as she looked through the morning edition of the Daily Prophet. Thankfully there didn't seem to have been any attacks in the last twenty-four hours. Sadly that was a rarity, as almost every edition of the Wizarding Paper reported some sort of 'mysterious death'. It angered her to no end that the Ministry of Magic still wouldn't admit that Tom Riddle was a problem. They didn't even admit that there _was_ a problem, when anyone with half a brain could read between the lines, and see that the wizards, witches, and Muggles had been killed with the Killing Curse. The only consolation was that Albus was working overtime trying to rescue the people Helena had told him had died in her timeline.

"Good morning, Helena," Remus greeted her as he sat down beside her. Helena looked up in surprise. Remus smirked at her, as she was changing back from the image of Dorcas Meadows.

"How'd you know it was me?" Helena asked him curiously.

"You might be able to take on the appearance of others, but you're sitting in the spot you've been sitting in for the last week," Remus told her amusedly. "Even your breakfast is the same."

Helena blinked. "Oh."

"Don't worry, I don't think anyone else would notice," Remus soothed her worries. Filling his plate with some sausages and bacon, he smiled at her. "Did you sleep well?"

"Well enough," Helena shrugged.

"The girls aren't doing anything against you, are they?" Remus asked with a frown.

Helena blew a strand of hair out of her face and put the paper down on the table. "No, they are not doing anything. They aren't outright ignoring me, apart from Lily. But I really can't expect anything else other than pleasant and shallow greetings."

"I see…" It was clear Remus wasn't sure what he should do. He didn't have much experience at how to behave around girls. To be honest, none of the Marauders did: James's unsuccessful courting of Lily was a clear example, and Sirius only knew enough to get them out of their knickers and into a broom closet. For Remus, he hadn't involved himself much with the fairer gender due to his monthly problem.

"Thank you for the concern, though," Helena smiled. Looking around, she noticed that he was the only one of the Marauders who was down there. "Where are the others?"

"They got caught up discussing Quidditch," Remus rolled his eyes. Helena's mouth twitched. Remus really was very much like a male Hermione. He _endured_ Quidditch because of how much his friends loved it, but if he was given a choice, he wouldn't mind never seeing another game. It wasn't that he hated the game, he was just indifferent towards it, and would rather spend his time doing other things. "Not that I expect anything different, with the try-outs being this afternoon. James is downright unbearable."

Helena chuckled. "He would be."

"Are you ready for the tryouts this afternoon?"

"Hmm," Helena hummed in confirmation, and took a sip of her tea. "Though I need to finish my Charms essay before I go out there. The try-outs start at two, so I have a few hours."

"Mind if I join you for the essay?" Remus asked. "I'm having a few problems with it."

"You have problems with the Patronus Charm?" Helena asked surprised.

"Why is that so surprising?" Remus asked slightly incredulous. "You are the genius within the Marauders, dear Helena, not I."

"No, it's just…"

It's just that it was Remus who had taught_ her_ the Patronus Charm. Of course that was in a twenty years time he would do that. She really shouldn't have been surprised that Remus didn't know the Charm as a Sixth Year. He himself had said (in her Third Year) that it was surprising that she could cast one, when it was normally only after Hogwarts people finally got it down.

"Never mind," Helena shook her head with a small smile. "Yeah, sure, you can join me."

"Join you for what?" Sirius asked with a grin as he sat down across from them, James and Peter sitting beside him. It shouldn't have surprised her to see Sirius and James already being clathed in the red and gold coloured Quidditch uniforms, but she was. That wasn't what she was concerned with right that moment, however. Helena narrowed her eyes as he waggled his eyebrow at her.

"James, Sirius is being a pervert again," Helena said blandly.

"Stop being a pervert, Padfoot," James told his friend without looking up from the bun he was preparing.

"Aww, come on!" Sirius whined. "You walked right into that one."

"We were talking about the Charms paper, nothing else," Helena told him with a tired sigh. "Of course, you're welcome to join-"

"Nope. No, thanks," Sirius quickly backed out. Helena snorted.

"You only have until Tuesday to finish it," Remus reminded him.

"But we have an easier workload than you two," Peter reminded them. "We can wait."

"Besides its _Saturday_," Sirius told with a huge grin. "Or doesn't that mean anything to you two?"

Helena's left eyebrow rose. "A day where I can do all my homework, so I don't turn in half-arsed papers which barely gets an E?"

James snickered. "She got you there, Pads."

"Oh, sod off," Sirius pouted. "It was _one_ paper, at the start of term. We all know that it's really the exams counts."

"Don't remind them of the exams," James hissed. He looked carefully over at Remus. "Remember how stressed Moony got every time we reminded him of the O.W.L.'s?"

"Very funny," Remus drawled.

"I thought so," James agreed with a grin.

"So, you're really going to do your Charms paper today?" Sirius asked, more seriously.

"Yep," Helena nodded. "It's either today or tomorrow that I will have time for it. On Monday our Herbology project starts for good, and on Tuesday we're-"

"All right, I get it," Sirius sighed. "But you'll still make it to the Quidditch try-outs, right?"

"Of course. I wouldn't miss it for the world."

That was all it took to satisfy the two troublemakers, and their small group could get back to eating breakfast. Like it the Metamorphmagus had expected, James was absolutely fanatic about Quidditch that day, already making plans of when they would train in the spring. And then the discussion moved over to professional Quidditch, and Helena was almost sure that he and Sirius was going to fight over a fictional game between their favourite teams. That was why she wasn't exactly sad to be leaving the two behind when she and Remus made for the library fifteen minutes after the last of the Marauders had arrived.

"Ah, Miss Potter," Albus approached them as she and Remus rose from their seats. Helena smiled politely at the old wizard.

"Good morning, Professor Dumbledore," she greeted him.

"That it is, my dear. That it is," he nodded. "I was thinking that perhaps you could visit my office tomorrow, say around three o'clock? If you don't have anything else planned of course."

"Tomorrow three o'clock sounds good to me," Helena nodded. She had been wondering when they would begin meeting again, but knowing how much work Albus had, she hadn't badgered him. "Should I bring a package of ice mice, or would you prefer some other sweet to snack on while we talk?"

Albus's eyes twinkled in delight. "Ice mice should do just fine, thank you." He then looked to Remus. "I see that I've stopped you for going somewhere. I will leave you to it then. Ta ta."

The Marauders observed the Headmaster as he walked out of the Great Hall. When he had disappeared from sight, they all looked to Helena.

"You're going to meet with him here as well?" James asked in surprise.

Helena nodded. "Yeah. We only stopped since with the school year approached, Albus's workload increased. It's always been our plan to meet up again once his workload decreased slightly."

The boys blinked.

"Did you just refer to our Headmaster as Albus?" Peter asked, slightly wide-eyed.

The Metamorphmagus winced at her slipup. She wasn't supposed to refer to him by his first name in public, just like he wouldn't.

"That is his name," Helena nodded casually, masking the mental berating she was giving herself. At the Marauders' expressions, she rolled her eyed. "You guys would be the last people I would've thought would find it surprising. Seriously, you refer to Professor McGonagall as 'Minnie'."

"Yeah, but that is _us_," Sirius explained as if she was stupid. "You're nothing if not respectful. Which means that the Headmaster probably asked you to refer to him by his first name."

"Besides," James continued, "It's one thing to call Minnie by her first name, it's a whole other thing with the Headmaster. He beat Grindelwald, for Merlin's sake."

Mentally Helena snorted. Albus might've beaten Grindelwald, but she had beaten Tom Riddle. They were kind of on even footing in that regard.

"What do you even talk about?" Remus asked.

"Oh, stuff," Helena answered vaguely, much to the boys' dismay. "Come on, the try-outs begin at two, and I want to finish at least an outcast of the paper."

James and Sirius looked like they wanted to pester her more about her casual relationship with Albus, but Helena didn't stay to give them a chance. Remus followed after her, and for a moment she thought her brother and his best friend considered doing it as well. But seeing as they were going to the library – the last place you would find one of them the first weekend of the school year –, they apparently decided against it.

There was almost no-one in the library, but for a few Sixth and Seventh Year Ravenclaws. This was to be expected as it was only the first weekend of the school year, which meant that most students would be catching up with their friends still. It was only after Christmas, and especially as the exams approached, that it begun to get hard to find a table. But for now that wasn't a problem, and Helena and Remus sat down at a table by a window with view over the Black Lake.

"So," Helena said as withdrew a few pieces of parchment along with her quill and inkwell from her bag. "What is it you're having trouble with?"

"The whole damn charm," Remus admitted with a grunt. "I know I'm not a genius like you, but I usually do quite well, especially in Charms. But there is just something about the Patronus Charm that escapes my understanding."

"Well, it is one of the most difficult charms to master," Helena told him. "Unlike most other charms, there aren't any wand movements. And while the incantation is as important as with any other spell, it is the memory that you use to power the spell that decides if you succeed or not, and whether or not you produce a full bodied Patronus or a shield form Patronus."

"What do you mean by the memory powers the spell?" Remus asked, as he wrote down on his parchment. He looked up at her. "I know that you need to think happy thoughts to produce a Patronus, but why."

Helena's lips twitched in amusement. "You got to do a bit more than 'think happy thoughts'." Remus blushed slightly. "The Patronus is an embodiment of everything good. Love, happiness, and friendship powers it. It is like a mirror image of all the good in your soul, produced outside of your body. So to produce one, you have to power it with a memory that has ties to those emotions. You have to make it a powerful memory, the happiest that you can remember, and allow it to fill up your entire being."

Remus nodded, though he was frowning slightly. Helena didn't blame him: as she had told him, this was one of the most difficult charms to master and understand. While she had been able to cast it in her Third Year, she hadn't truly understood the mechanics before her Sixth Year.

"And how is it that the Patronus protects you from a Dementor?" Remus asked.

"While I said that a Patronus is like a mirror image of everything good within your soul, a Patronus is not alive," Helena pointed out. "Because of that, a Dementor can't feed on it. What is more, like how a Dementor seems to suck all happiness out of its vicinity, a Patronus makes people around it feel good. It's a poison to a Dementor, and why they flee. But as powerful as a Patronus can be, nothing can kill a Dementor."

Remus nodded, "Thank you."

Helena nodded and looked down on her own half-written paper. Picking up from where she left off the day before, Helena dipped her quill in the inkwell and started writing.

_A full bodied Patronus is the most difficult to produce, but shield forms can also be useful against a variety of opponents…_

~ Helichrysa Dorea Potter ~

"Now, I want to make myself clear," James spoke loudly so everyone could hear him. "Even if you made the team last year is no guarantee that you'll get a spot this year. Only the best of you will be chosen."

The turn-up for the try-outs was good. About three dozen Gryffindors had showed up, the most of them trying out for one of the two Chaser positions which were open. The young witch was surprised to see Dorcas Meadowes being one of them, apparently having played Chaser since Third Year. Helena also had some competition, as there were three others trying out for the Seeker position: a Fifth Year girl, a Fourth Year boy, and a Second Year boy. Helena knew that she had skill, but she wouldn't dismiss the others. She would have to do her very best.

"Who're you kidding, Potter," a Seventh Year boy who Helena didn't know the name of spoke up, though he did look familiar. "Everyone knows that you'll choose Black as a Beater. And it wouldn't surprise me if your sister makes the team as well."

"I don't like what you're implying, McLaggen," James arrowed his eyes at the large boy. Helena looked in surprise at McLaggen. Yes, she could see Cormac in him. She snorted under her breath: at least she now knew where Cormac had gotten his ego from.

Helena only listened with half an ear, knowing that if McLaggen went too far, James would throw him off the Quidditch pitch. It didn't matter if the Seventh Year was the best Quidditch player the school had ever seen, an attitude like that ruined a team. And no matter how good he was, McLaggen wouldn't be able to win a Quidditch match on his own.

"You nervous?" Sirius asked as he stepped up beside her.

Before she could help it, she snorted. "Not at all. I've got this."

Sirius shot her an amused look. "Has anyone ever told you that you can be a tad arrogant?"

"Yes, and more than once," Helena answered honestly. Then she shot him a wicked grin. "But isn't that what you like about me?"

Sirius chuckled. "You know, while you and James might be different on a lot of points, there are many things you are so similar at. If people didn't know better, they would think you really had grown up together as siblings."

"I'm going to take that as a compliment."

"It was meant as one," the dog animagus smirked.

"So who was on the team last year?" Helena asked as she looked over small crowd of students. She spotted Remus and Peter sitting up in the stands and waved to them.

"Well, you already know about James and me, playing respectively Chaser and Beater," Sirius told her. She nodded along. "James got on the team in his Second Year, and I joined him in my Third Year. Dorcas joined as a Chaser in Third Year as well. Then there was Lorcan Towler who played Chaser as well, along with Jane Histhogger, Seeker, and Marley Campbell, who played Keeper. Jane, Lorcan, and Marley all graduated last year. And finally there is Freddy McDougal over there from Fourth Year who plays Beater – he joined us last year."

"So if the people from last year join again, the team needs a Seeker, a Chaser, and a Keeper," Helena commented to no-one in particular.

"Exactly," Sirius grinned. "And since you are a no brainer, it's realer only a Chaser and a Keeper we're missing."

"PAY ATTENTION, DAMMIT!" James voice shouted. Helena grimaces as Sirius yelped, and they broke off their small conversation.

The try-outs took most of the afternoon, and as always, the Seekers would go last.

The first half hour they were all just required to fly around the pitch, so James could sort out the hopeless cases. Already then three Gryffindors were sent away, one of them even having to go to the Hospital Wing as she crashed. Helena didn't understand why someone would even _try_ to get on a Quidditch team when they could barely fly straight. It was madness.

Then began the trials for the Chasers – Dorcas, and a Second Year girl named Jil Richards were picked –, followed by the Keeper try-outs – a Fifth Year boy by the name of William Skoulliard –, and then the Beaters – Sirius and a Fourth Year boy named Hiro Haruno. And then, finally, it was the Seekers turn.

"All right," James told Helena and the three other Gryffindors hoping to make the team. "You will all be in the air at the same time. I will release five snitches, and the one who catches most will get the spot on the team. If anyone is tied when the fifth snitch is caught, the others will be sent off the pitch, and I will release the last snitch. And watch out, because Sirius and Hiro will be shooting bludgers against you. Is that understood?"

They all nodded, before getting on their brooms and shot into the air.

Helena felt right at home at the pith, and she shut everything else out. Flying in patrols that had been ingrained into her mind by Oliver Wood, Helena began scouting for the Golden Snitch.

The first Snitch was spotted within four minutes, Helena shooting towards it at top speed. The Fourth Year boy saw her chasing the snitch and followed after her, but it was too late. The second snitch was caught by the Fifth Year girl who had been at the other end of the pitch, way out of Helena's reach. And the third snitch was likewise caught by the Second Year boy at the opposite side of the pitch. Just as Helena thought that she was out of luck, she spotted the snitch by the Fifth Year girl only a few dozen meters away: she speed towards the girl, and caught he snitch just as the girl spotted it. The fifth snitch was likewise caught by her, though this time she and the Fifth Year girl had to race after it like Helena had done in many matches. The other girl had to give up, however, when the snitch made tight turns around the three goal posts – Helena, being as talented as she was, dodged the posts by mere centimetres, and caught the snitch.

James and Sirius cheered for her, and even the Fifth Year girl had the spirit to congratulate her with a handshake. However, when James announced that the trials were over, McLaggen complained.

"I told you that you would pick Black and your sister," he spat furious.

"McLaggen, I've had enough of you," James said angrily back at him. "Sirius shot six Chasers down and protected four. No one came close to that number. And you saw for yourself that Helena caught three snitches. And if you're complaining about not getting the Keeper spot, then you should've caught more than one of ten Quaffles."

McLaggen fumed and bolted off of the pitch.

"What a sore loser," Sirius commented.

"Oh forget about him," Helena told them. Then she turned to James. "So, Captain, when is the first training scheduled to be at?"

James grinned at her. "You sure are eager. I like that."

~ Helichrysa Dorea Potter ~

**Author's Notes:** I am so sorry for the lateness of this update. Truth is it was a bitch to write, and I've felt absolutely horrible healthwise. I can't promise that the next chapter will be out any faster, but I can promise that I will do my best.

Synthesis


	8. NOT ABANDONED, MESSAGE

Hello all my dear readers.

First of all I want to apologize to anyone thinking this was an update, because clearly it isn't. This is an explanation of why you haven't heard from me, either by PM or new chapters, for three weeks now (I think). Don't worry, I have _not_ abandoned these stories, and if I can help it, I won't. But with that said, they might not be updated for the next month, perhaps two.

If you've been reading my Author's Notes, then you know I have been struggling with my health. Well, it came to a boiling point, and I collapsed in the middle of a shopping centre (talk about embarrassing!). I won't go into the boring details with you, as, let's be honest, that is rather private, but it is serious. Nothing truly life threatening, as they are able to treat it, but serious enough that I have not had the energy to ride. Well, that isn't completely true – I've wanted to write, but I haves stopped myself. I am a perfectionist (of a sort), and I know if I write while feeling as crappy as I feel these days, then the chapters would reflect that.

Then I want to thank _everyone_ who has followed, favourited, and reviewed on any and all of my stories. It warms my heart deeply to see how many actually likes the stories I write. I know I have some talent, but I really don't see something truly special within myself like that. I will _try_ to keep answering your reviews, but probably only the longer ones. It's not that I don't appreciate your 'Great work! Update soon!' comments, but I would rather use my energy on writing back to those who gives criticism and praise – I hope you will understand that.

Well, that is all I really had to say for now. Thank you for being understanding, especially when I know how much it sucks to wait on a story to be updated. But I'm here to promise that I will do my _very best_ to actually complete these stories – it might just take a little bit longer.

Synthesis


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